


The Clockwork Exorcist

by thegriffin88



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Gaelic Language, Irish accents, Major Original Character(s), Mythical Beings & Creatures, Mythology - Freeform, Original Character(s), Robot animals, Romance, Steampunk, Teen Romance, Teenagers, Teenagers being idiots and also saving the world, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-03
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2017-11-28 02:53:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 24,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/669418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegriffin88/pseuds/thegriffin88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tock is not your ordinary exorcist. She's actually a human soul in the body of a mechanical dragon golem. Together with her partner Kanda, she will embark on fantastic journey to get her body back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Prologue**

“Do they hurt?”

“No”  

“Horse shit.”

“Yours are worse.”

“No they’re not.”

“…”

“You’re getting stronger, I can see it.”

“So’re you.”

“Perhaps, but you’ll always be stronger than me.”

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. I’ll have Yuu to protect me.”

Kanda chuckled at the pun.

“Yeah.”

***

“EVA!!!”

Kanda fell to his knees in the rain, not caring that he was getting all muddy.

“Eva! Answer me damnit!”

There was a choking rasp.

“K…Kan…da…” she breathed.

Kanda cursed loudly, beginning compressions on her chest.

“Don’t you dare die on me Fairbough!” he snapped.

“Kanda…” she whispered.

“Quit wasting your breath!” Kanda barked, “You can tell me back at the Order!”

Eva shook her head.

“Damnit Eva! Don’t do this!” Kanda yelled.

In the back of his mind, he wondered why the rain had suddenly acquired a salty taste.

“I’m sorry…Kanda…” she whispered.

Her hand, holding on to her battle golem’s innocence, went limp, the small cube with gears rolled from her fingers and into a puddle.

“NO!!!” Kanda shouted, redoubling his efforts to restart her heart.

“Master Kanda…” their finder said.

“Damnit she can’t die like this! I was supposed to protect her!”

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Kanda caught a faint glow of light. He turned and saw her innocence floating in midair. It moved over Eva’s heart and seemed to suck something glowing out of her. The light got bigger and suddenly the innocence began to dart forward, slamming into the crumpled, broken form of Eva’s battle golem. Kanda got up and rushed forward. He gasped and stumbled, the golem was getting up and shaking itself off, rustling the metal scales of its draconic body. It blinked and looked at Kanda.

“Well now, Kanda dear, it seems our relationship just became more complicated.”

 

Yuu Kanda: 15   Eva Fairbough: 15 (younger by three months)


	2. Chapter 1: The Introduction of our Two Main Characters to the Reader in the Course of an Incident

**Chapter** **1**

The Introduction of our Two Main Characters to the Reader in the Course of an Incident

          “This is why I don’t like you going on missions alone. You always come back too wrecked to see straight or too banjaxed to stand like every mission you do turns out hames. I’m really going to crack down on that eejit Komui this time. He’s tits on a bull that’s what he is.” Eva, now called Tock, grumbled as she wound the bandages around her friend’s arm. She always reverted to her heavy Irish tongue when flustered.

          “It’s just a cut; I’ll be fine by tomorrow.” Kanda said, although he did nothing to stop her efforts.

          “I know that!” Tock said exasperatedly, her gears giving a slight hiss to express her annoyance, “I’m just making sure you don’t bleed through another shirt. Blood doesn’t come out you know!”

          Suddenly, the alarm sounded. Kanda looked back at Tock, who smirked and bit off the excess bandage before tucking it in.

          “Showtime.” She said, clapping him on the back.

          Kanda retrieved his sword and they went their separate ways. Tock hopped up on the desk in the surveillance room to watch her partner on the screen. She saw him taking a mighty slash at what appeared to be a boy with a very strange left arm. It was silver and seemed to have some sort or armor on it.

          “What’s up with the kid?” she asked.

          “The Gate Keeper can’t read him.” Reever replied.

          Apparently Kanda was thinking the same thing for at that very moment he said:

          “You…what’s with your arm?”

          “This is an anti-Akuma weapon,” The boy replied, “I’m an exorcist.”

          Tock and Kanda both blinked.

          “Gate Keeper!!!” Kanda roared.

          “But…well…if I can’t determine his insides, how can we know for sure? What if he’s an Akuma?” the Gate Keeper whimpered, even he was afraid of the teen’s wrath.

          “I’m a human!!” The mysterious boy cried, pounding on the Gate Keeper, “Sure I’m a little bit cursed but I’m still a nice human!!!”

          “Gyahh! Don't touch me!” wailed the Gate Keeper.

          Tock watched as Kanda gave a snort of annoyance and readied his sword,

          “Whatever, well know the truth once we see your insides.”

          “Oh my.” Were Tock’s only words as she realized her friend was about to slice the boy open.

          Kanda activated his anti-Akuma weapon, making the katana glow with white fire.

          “I’ll slice you up with my ‘mugen’!” and with that he rushed the boy.

          “Wait! Wait! Really I’m not an Akuma!” The boy shouted desperately, “You should have gotten a letter from General Cross!”

          Kanda skidded to a halt just inches from the boy’s head.

          “Yes, a letter of recommendation from General Cross,” the boy said nervously, “it was addressed to someone named Komui.”

          Instantly all eyes in the control room were on Section Leader Komui Lee.

          “You there!” He said, pointing at a random assistant, “search my desk!” he pointed to a desk that was almost collapsing under the weight of papers.

          “S-search that?” the man said, sweatdropping.

          “Brother…” Lenalee said.

          “Supervisor…” Reever said.

          “Really boss.” Tock sighed.

          “I’ll help too!” Komui said.

          Tock shrugged as best she could and dove into the pile of dusty papers. At last she heard a shout.

          “Found it!”

          She popped out of the papers to see. The letter was crumpled, torn and generally neglected. She sighed and exhaled a cloud of steam.

          “Read it!” Komui said.

          “Komui, soon I’ll be sending over a kid named Allen. Thanks. Cross.”

          “Well that’s that,” Komui said, “Reever, stop Kanda from killing him.”

          “It’d help if you cleaned out your desk once in a while!” Reever shouted before turning to the microphone. “Kanda stop your attack!” he commanded.

          Tock, meanwhile, was following Lenalee to the entrance. She caught up just as Kanda and the boy named Allen entered.

          “Kanda!!!” she squealed, jumping up onto his shoulders, her favorite spot.

          Just as they were turning to get back to their rooms Allen said something.

          “Uh…Kanda?”

          Kanda turned around, an absolutely seething look on his face.

          “Th-that was your name right?” the boy stammered, “It’s, uh, nice to meet you.” He held out his hand but Kanda gave him a freezing stare.

          “Who in their right mind would shake hands with a cursed person?”

          Then he wheeled around and stalked away, almost upsetting Tock’s balance.

          “Sorry!” she called once she had recovered, “He just got back from a mission and he’s a little cranky!” she said, pinching her thumb and index claws together to emphasize her point.

 

Yuu Kanda: 18   Tock (Eva Fairbough): 18 (Younger by 3 months)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what can I say about Tock except that she's Irish and her accent makes me lol when I write it. 
> 
> She's not a Mary-sue. I've never actually been accused of writing a Mary-sue so either I'm just that freaking good or Kelly from SIMM is just so blatantly me that she stopped being a Mary-sue because she is me. But that's SIMM (No that's not on here it's too crap) and this is CWE. (which you are reading because it is not so crap)
> 
> Ah wick.


	3. Chapter 2: The Story of Tock and her Clockwork Innocence on a Train Ride to Southern Italy

**Chapter 2**

The Story of Tock and her Clockwork Innocence on a Train Ride to Southern Italy

        “Kandaaa!!!” Tock called as she scanned the woods, her eyes acting like beacons in the dark. “Kanda get over here the instant!” she huffed, “I know you can hear-eek!!!”

          She yelped and rolled away as something hit the ground next to her. She hopped up and prepared to defend herself, her tail lashing the air. But she stood down when she saw that it was only Kanda.

          “Kanda!” She growled, “what the heck was that for?!”

          Kanda smirked, taking off his blindfold.

          “At least your guard isn’t down more than usual.”

          Tock pouted.

          “It’s time for breakfast,” she said.

          “You don’t eat.” Kanda reminded her.

          Tock wiggled, grinding her claws into the mossy ground.

          “I know that! But you still need food! I won’t have my partner starving himself!”

          Kanda was about to brush her off when his stomach growled. Tock smirked as she watched him try not to look embarrassed.

          “Che…fine.” He grumbled, sheathing Mugen and putting his shirt back on.

          Tock smiled and hopped up on his shoulders. A few moments later, Tock was lounging on the kitchen counter. Since she wasn’t able to eat, Tock satisfied her longing for food by hanging around Jerry during mealtimes, smelling the food.

          “Oh Jerry,” she said, “when I get my body back I’m going to eat you out of house and home.”

          “I’d be happy to oblige that girlfriend!” Jerry laughed.

          “Um…excuse me?”

          They turned to see a scrawny looking kid with white hair and a red mark on his face standing at the window.

          “Howaya boyo! Remember me!” Tock said, bounding up to him and sticking out her paw, “I’m Tock the Clockwork Exorcist!”

          The boy hesitantly shook her paw.

          “Hi…I’m Allen Walker.” He said.

          Jerry was about to take Allen’s order when there was an almighty crash.

          “Oh bollix.” Tock said, standing on her hind legs to get a better view of what had happened.

          “WHAT DID YOU SAY?! I DARE YOU TO SAY THAT AGAIN!”

          Tock’s gears made a low cranking noise and she released a jet of steam with a hiss.

          “Bullocks.” She muttered, hopping down and trotting into the crowd, tail held high.

          “Stop it Buzz.”

          There were two finders, one trying to hold back his friend. Someone had pissed them off, and that someone slapped his chopsticks down with a clack.

          “BE QUIET!” He snapped. “I can’t eat if you keep talking about dead people.”

          Tock huffed, releasing more steam. Kanda could be quite insensible when it came to other people. Not that she was any different; she just knew when to shut her pie-hole.

          “Is that how you show respect for your comrades?!” Buzz said, “We finders support you with your lives and you’re complaining about losing your appetite?!”

          Buzz suddenly aimed a punch at Kanda. Tock thought about jumping in to break it up, but then she remembered the last time she had tried to break up a fight between her partner and a finder by intercepting a blow. She shuddered as the whirr of Komui’s drill echoed in her mind.

          By the time she opened her eyes; Kanda had dodged the punch and was holding Buzz up in the air by his neck.

          “Support us?” Kanda smirked, “All you can do is ‘support us’. You guys were the ones who weren’t chosen to carry innocence.” He tightened his grip on Buzz, “if you don’t want to die, you can run away any time. Your insignificant life can be replaced-”

          Kanda stopped suddenly, and looked down at his arm. Tock was hanging on to his arm by her teeth.

          “Don’t fink I won’t draw blud…” she growled.

          Kanda was about to shake her off when something else stopped him, something with a red hand. It was Allen.

          “I’m sorry to interrupt you when I have nothing to do with this but, I don’t think this is a good way of resolving things.”

          “Back off, bean sprout.” Kanda snarled.

          Allen frowned, offended.

          “I’m Allen!” he said.

          Kanda smirked.

          “Heh, if you don’t die within the next month I’ll remember your name. There are plenty who die here, like these guys.”

          “Wet ‘im go!!!” Tock said, wiggling her long body and sinking her teeth further into Kanda’s arm.

          Allen squeezed Kanda’s wrist, making him drop the finder.

          “I don’t like your way of thinking.” He said.

          Kanda gave the boy a cold stare.

          “You’re gonna before your time kid, I hate your type.”

          “Oooohhhh…” Tock groaned through Kanda’s coat as she felt the tension in the air escalate.

          “Hey guys!!!”

          The three exorcists looked over to see Reever and Lenalee waving to them.

          “Finish eating and report to the command post, you three have got a mission!”

          Tock let go, dropping to the floor with a clink.

          When they got to the command post, they found Komui fast asleep on top of the mountain of paperwork that was his desk.

          “Wake up ya dosser!!!” Tock barked, jumping up and down on him.

          “That’s not how you wake him up, let me try.” Reever said.

          He leaned in close and whispered:

          “Lenalee’s gonna marry someone.”

          In a flash the Supervisor was up and begging his sister not to leave him.

A few awkward moments later…

          “Ahem, sorry about that,” Komui apologized, “I didn’t get to sleep until late last night.”

          Tock and Kanda both rolled their eyes.

          “All right, we don’t have much time so after you are briefed move out. If you want more detailed info read this on your trip over.”

          Tock accepted her mission briefing with a thank-you and began to paw through it.

          “You three will go as partners.”

          The three exorcists startled.

          “Isn’t that overkill? Three of us?” Kanda growled.

          “Well you know Tock simply refuses to work with anyone else.”

          “I think he was thinking of dumping the kid.” Tock pointed out, curling herself around Kanda’s shoulders, should someone try and separate them.

          “No excuses, with three of you this ought to be over in no time at all.” Komui pulled down a map and pointed to Italy. “We’ve located some innocence in Southern Italy but it’s in danger of being taken by and Akuma. Your job is to locate and secure the innocence.”

\---

          “Hurry up bean sprout! We’re going ninety to the dozen up here!”

          Allen looked at the large, mechanical dragon that was flying above him. Tock had activated her innocence, turning her into a larger version of herself, complete with wings and a very long, spiked tail. She went into a dive and slammed onto the train, gouging her claws in the roof to get a better grip before returning to normal size.

          “You heard her.” Kanda said, launching himself after her.

          Allen gulped and followed suit, landing with a thump next to them.

          “Illegally boarding the train…” he gasped.

          “We’ve always done it this way.” Their finder said.

          There was a groan and a whimper next to them. Kanda was slowly and painfully getting up, a slightly squished Tock crawling out from underneath him. She moaned and held her head before shouting:

           “Brilliant fecky the ninth, jus' brilliant! Jaysus I think I swallowed a spring!””

          “You think I wanted to land on you?! You nearly broke my back!!”

          He grumbled something in Japanese and pried open the train’s escape hatch before jumping inside. Tock huffed and, tail held high in the air, hopped in after him. Allen and the finder followed soon after. Allen was surprised to find Tock once again curled around Kanda’s shoulders, not even a hint that they had been arguing seconds before.

          “Uhm…excuse me…you can’t be here. This is the first class car, all other passengers need to be in the second class car…and you can’t just enter like that…” the steward said.

          “We’re with the Black Order, please prepare us a cabin.” The finder said.

          Tock rose to her full height (All of 2’8”) and let the silver cross engraved on her breastplate glint in the lamplight. The steward gasped and bowed.

          “Yes sir, right away!” He said before rushing off.

          Allen stared blankly.

          “What was that all about?” He asked.

          “The cross on your jacket proves you’re affiliated with the Vatican and grants you access to any place you desire under the New World Order.” Tock said, pointing at Allen’s jacket. Then she turned to the finder, “So, what’s your name? My partner may not give a flying fark but I do!” she grinned.

          “My name is Toma, I will be supporting you until we reach Mater.” The finder said.

          “Nice ta meet ‘cha!” Tock grinned wider, shaking his hand.

          Kanda huffed and walked away, Tock nearly losing her balance again.

          “This arrangement we have won’t work until you learn to stay still!” Tock hissed, pulling at a lock of his hair.

          “Then stop riding around on my shoulders.” Kanda growled.

          “But I need your height and long legs! I’ll never get anywhere with this tin can of a body!”

          “Che.” Was her partner’s only answer.

          When they had settled down in their cabin, Allen finally got up the courage to ask something that had been nagging him since his arrival.

          “So…what exactly are you?”

          To his surprise, Tock beamed and wagged her tail.

          “Oh I love this story,” she said happily, “even if the ending leaves me arseways,” she cleared her throat, “ahem, I am Tock the Clockwork Exorcist. I’m from a small Irish village and my family makes clockworks for a living. I was trained by Arcchon Burrike the Archer Exorcist. About three years ago Kanda and I were on a mission in Belarus and were attacked by several level two Akuma. In the attack I was fatally injured. But as my body died, my innocence took my soul and transferred it to the body of my innocence weapon, a mechanical dragon. So the person slash dragon you see before you is I, Tock, the clockwork with a human soul. I still have the innocence inside of me and it allows me to transform myself and use my own body as an anti-Akuma weapon. I do, however, hope to regain my body one day. That is my mission.” She smiled and looked lovingly at Kanda. He just glared.

          It was a long ride to Italy but Tock was more than happy to answer all of Allen’s questions and even play a round of poker with their finder.

          She was pretty good at it too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually the chapter titles are kinda sorta inconsistent. Like, how I named them kinda fell out of place when I started using the manga chapter titles for the Mater mission. 
> 
> Fffffffff.....


	4. Chapter 3: The Aria of the Land and the Clear Skies, Act 1

**Chapter 3**

The Aria of the Land and the Clear Skies, Act 1

          “So the innocence is inside a doll?” Tock said as she flew overhead the others who were racing into Mater.

          “Living between the rocks and the dry lands the citizens lived a horrible life. And thusly Mater was called ‘The City Forsaken by God’. Living in despair the people started to create dolls in order to forget about their hardships. Joyous dolls that danced and sang. In the end the city was abandoned and the dolls forgotten. But although left behind, the dolls continued to move. Even after hundreds of years.” Toma explained.

          “Well if this ghost is a doll, and it’s still moving, then it must have innocence and if that’s true, I’ll get it out no problem.”

          “W-what makes you so sure?” Allen asked, having trouble talking and running at the same time.

          Tock laughed, a ringing metallic sound, and clicked her claws together.

          “I’m a mechanic boyo! Before I was an exorcist me brother Daniel and I made clockworks for a living. I made this body myself as my innocence weapon before it became my own vessel. Komui even fitted me with these nifty claws so that I could have better control when fiddlin’ with a clockwork. This doll is a clockwork and I’ll take it apart in record time. We’ll be out of here before you know it.” She swooped in low next to Kanda. “Hey Kanda, since we’re goin’ ta have all this free time on our hands maybe we could do a little sightseeing. Ooh! How’s about we go to fair Verona? Oh it’ll be massive! Can you imagine the romance?”

          Not listening, Kanda skidded to a stop, causing everyone to do the same as they reached the edge of a near vertical slope. Tock had to backpedal her wings before doing a flip and landing on the ground in her deactivated form.

          “Och, why’d you stop?” She asked, “’sides the cliff I mean.”

          “See for yourself.” Kanda said.

          Tock peered over the edge of the slope.

          “Ah wick.” She muttered.

          The bulbous shapes of Akuma dotted the sky, drifting lazily as they searched for more humans to kill.

          “We got here as soon as we could but the finders are dead.” Kanda said, then he turned to Allen who had started down the slope again, “Hey you! I’ll say this before we start. I don’t care if you’re on the verge of being killed, if I find that you’re a nuisance I’ll leave you behind.”

          “There’s no partnership in war boyo,” Tock said gravely as she hopped up on Kanda’s shoulders, “sacrifices must be made so I don’t want to see you chargin’ in on some heroic notion.”

          “I don’t like your way of thinking.” Allen replied.

          Suddenly, there was an explosion from within the town. Faster than they could react, Allen had already run into the town.

          “Oi! What did we just finish telling you?!” Tock shrieked, then she sighed heavily and released a cloud of steam, “Thick as a brick I tell ya.” There was another puff of steam and she continued, “We might as well see where the sprog ran off to.” She suggested.

          “Che.” Kanda said.

          They bolted into the town to find that Allen had cornered a level 2 Akuma, who was apparently leading the assault on Mater. Tock watched wide-eyed as the Akuma threw the youngster straight into a wall, making a nice dent. Next to her, Kanda was grinding his teeth.

          “That idiot.” He growled. “Rushing into battle without assessing the situation.”

          “Little upstart,” Tock agreed, “looks like a level two, he’s gonna get chewed up if he’s not prepared. We don’t even know what it’s abilities are.”

          Kanda nodded and pointed to a large crater a few buildings over. In it they could see a cube-shaped glow.

          “That must be where the doll is.” He said, “And with only four seals it won’t last very long.”

          “I hear ya bud, let’s get to work an’ get out of here.”

          Kanda drew Mugen and Tock grew to full height.

          “You take the left and I’ll take the right.” Kanda said.

          “Aye, aye!” Tock called as she took off.

          She soared over the rooftops and quickly banked right, catching the sight of two level 1 Akuma. They forgot trying to get through the barrier and began chasing after her. She smirked and quickly turned around, lashing her long tail out and ripping straight through them. Explosions from the left joined hers as Kanda’s underworld beasts ripped through the rest of the level 1’s. She did mid-air flip before landing next to her partner and returning to normal. Kanda was kneeling over one of the dying finders.

          “Hey, what’s the access code for the talismans?” he was asking.

          “Exorcist…y-you finally came…” the man gasped.

          “If you don’t want to die in vain then hurry up and answer me.” Kanda said.

          “H-have…hope…have hope…” and with those last words the life left his body.

          Kanda turned to Tock who was already deactivating the barrier.

          “How fast do you think you can retrieve the innocence?” he asked.

          “Faster than two shakes of a lamb’s tail.” Tock said, wiggling her claws.

          She bounded forward to the two figures and sat on her haunches.

          “Listen up, which one of you is the doll? I need to take it apart and get what we’re after and there’s no a lot of time to spare because as you can see everything’s all bollixed up.”

          There was a moment’s hesitation before the taller of the two figures spoke, its voice was gravely and definetly male.

          “I am the doll.”

          “What’s the hold up?” Kanda barked.

          “I canna’ take apart a talkin’ doll tha’s just creepy!” Tock shrieked.

          “What?!”

          Kanda slid down into the crater to confront her.

          “What is your problem?!” he shouted. “You said you could dismantle it!”

          “That was before I knew it could talk you feckin’ eejit! Clockworks ain’t supposed ta be talkin’ to ya! I canna just take apart somethin’ with a voice that can think fer itself! It’s actin’ human!”

          Kanda growled.

          “Fine then, activate your innocence, you can carry them until we figure out what to do.”

          Tock nodded and grew to full height.

          “Climb on.” She said, bending down.

          When the two had successfully mounted her she turned to Kanda.

          “Stay close.” She said.

          With a single flap of her powerful wings she took off. As she ascended she spotted Allen down below, still locked in battle with the level 2.

          “I won’t help you defeat him,” Kanda informed him, “It was your fault you acted on your emotions in the first place.”

          “All right, go ahead,” he said, although he didn’t sound happy with the idea, “you have the innocence so there’s no need for me to worry. I’ll destroy this Akuma and then catch up with you.”

          Up above, Tock was surfing the thermals.

          “Um, miss dragon?”

          “Eh?” Tock looked behind her; it was the girl who had spoken.

          “That beast called the Akuma, it can fly. I think it’s best we stay underground. We know where the secret passages are that lead to the undercity.”

          “Brilliant.” Tock said, angling her wings and swooping in low next to Kanda who was traversing the rooftops.

          “That level two can fly,” she informed him, “these two say they know of a way to get to the underground part of the city.”

          “To escape the heat the people of Mater built a large part of the city underground. It’s like a maze so you can easily get lost if you aren’t familiar with the territory.” The girl said. “But there’s an exit that leads through the cliffs and out to the sea.”

          “Right, let’s go.” Kanda said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tock's a walking contradiction. She believes automatons should be seen and not heard. Yet she can't shut her pie-hole to save her life. She's like me in that regard, hypocritical. 
> 
> I actually did here what I failed to do in Living Blade (don't look you won't find it) which is integrate the OC into the story. 
> 
> That being said as a traveler LB's Cali wasn't supposed to be messing the story up anyway. Tock's not part of the Traveler Chronicles so she can mess everything up for all the fates care.


	5. Chapter 4: The Aria of the Land and the Clear Skies, Act 2

**Chapter 4**

The Aria of the Land and the Clear Skies, Act 2

Tock attempted to land in one of the small alleyways, but on the way down her wing caught on a gargoyle and she landed hard on her side, her wing crumpling underneath her.

          “Oooo….” She groaned.

          “Are you okay?” Kanda asked, landing next to her.

          “Yah…I’m made of metal.” Tock said, stretching out the appendage and giving it a shake, “Feels like nothing’s out of place.”

          She deactivated and hopped up on her partner’s shoulders just as his golem rang.

          “Toma, how are things on your end?” Kanda asked.

The finder’s voice rang clear from the little flapping device.

          “I was investigating from a different abandoned block and it looked like there was a tremendous battle going on. Then I heard a loud blast and Sir Walker’s whereabouts are now unknown. It seems that only the Akuma has come out of the rubble and he’s chasing Timcampy now.”

          Kanda huffed, even when he wasn’t there Allen seemed to irritate him.

          “We’ll send the golem as a guide but if you have to make a choice bring Tim back, we need his ability.” Tock said, “We can’t afford to stay here any longer because of something the new kid did.”

          Toma signed off and Kanda turned to the doll and its keeper.

          “All right, we’re gonna go underground. Do you know a path?”

          “I…do.” The doll said as it removed its hat, “I’ve been here for five-hundred years. I know every route.”

          Tock suppressed a gasp, feeling Kanda stiffen under her claws as the doll revealed it’s hideously gnarled face.

          “Heh-heh, ugly aren’t I?” the doll laughed.

          “So you’re the doll?” Kanda asked, “frankly we’re just surprised you can talk.”

          “Yes…you’ve come to take my heart haven’t you?” it asked.

          “I’d take it now if I could.” Kanda replied.

          The girl started at this.

          “We can’t keep carrying you around,” Tock explained, “I can’t stay in my activated form for too long, and that Akuma can fly. It’d follow us and cause destruction all the way back to the order. The innocence you carry was meant to be with us, safe from the Earl.”

          Kanda advanced but the girl shielded the doll with her body.

          “Guzol’s the only one who knows the underground route! Without Guzol you’d just be lost!” she cried.

          “What are you?” Kanda asked.

          “I’m Guzol’s…” the girl started to say but Guzol cut her off.

          “A child abandoned by humans!” It coughed, “I found it…so I kept it…”

          Tock was looking curiously at Guzol, the gears in her mind turning. She was about to say something when someone called out.

          “Sir Kanda! Miss Tock!”

          It was Toma.

          “I’m sorry but I can’t let you go. We can’t risk letting that Akuma take your heart. I don’t need to right now, but I will take your heart in the end. I’m sorry to drag you into this.”

          They watched as Toma produced a small pile of gold rubble.

          “It’s Timcampy.” He said.

          “Poor ol’ Tim! He’s banjanxed!” Tock cried.

          But right before their eyes Timcampy began to reform out of the pile of rubble.

          “Show us what you saw Tim.” Kanda said.   

          Timcampy opened his mouth and produced a holographic image of the level 2 Akuma. The three watched as Allen’s fight with it was replayed.

          “It’s’ like a mirror.” Kanda observed.

          “Eh?” Tock asked.

          “This Akuma, It’s a mirror image.” Kanda explained, “Look, when it’s disguised as bean sprout…clothes and weapon are reversed. Left is right and vice versa.”         

          “Bean sprout?” Toma asked.

          “He means Allen.” Tock filled in.

          “Look,” Kanda continued, “if you take a close look, the fake one that Allen got is also reversed. The fake one is empty inside and is a perfect reversed shell. It’s not just a simple disguise ability. It’s more like…it’s using something to reflect the object. On top of that, once the akmua equips it, it looks like it can use the original owner’s ability. I can tell from how it morphed bean sprout’s left arm and attacked.”

          Both he and Tock growled.

          “That caffler! This mission is completely bollixed!” Tock said.

          “I should have looked for Sir Walker,” Toma said, “even if Sir Walker shows up, we won’t be able to tell if it’s him.”

          “That’s not a problem. We’ll know immediately because the Akuma will be a mirror image. If it does show up looking like that, it’s a real idiot.”

          They started following the doll and his human companion down the maze of corridors but no sooner had they turned a corner then the two had vanished.

          “What?! They’re gone! They ran off!” Kanda exclaimed.

          “Balls!” Tock shrieked, her cry echoing off the stony walls.

          “Damnit! Where’d they go?!” Kanda growled.

          “Sir Kanda, Miss Tock…behind us.” Toma said.

          The two exorcists turned around, approaching them was Allen. But something was off. Then they realized.

          “It’s a mirror image!” Toma cried.

          Kanda immediately activated his innocence.

          “I guess it is an idiot after all.” He said, slicing mugen, “Underworld creatures! First illusion!”

          But just as the nether bugs were about to strike the Akuma, something silver flashed in front of them, stopping their attack. It was the real Allen.

          “Beansprout!” Kanda shouted as Allen moved to help his mirror image.

          “You little gobshite!” Tock snapped, lashing her tail. “You better have a good explanation for this!”

          “Why the hell did you defend an Akuma!” Kanda barked.

          “My eye allows me to tell who’s an Akuma.” Allen explained, “and this is not an Akuma!”

          He pulled on the things skin, surprising them as it came away like paper. And beneath it was Toma.

          “Toma?” Tock said.

          A second later it all sank in; unfortunately, that wasn’t quick enough.

“Kanda behind you!” Allen shouted.    

There was not time to react and Tock found herself sailing through the air as Kanda was ripped from beneath her. She landed hard on the stone floor and immediately righted herself just as mugen stuck in a crack in the bricks.

“KANDA!!!” she shrieked.

She jumped through the hole in the wall and gasped. Her friend was pinned against the wall by the Akuma, being crushed.

“You bastard,” Kanda ground out, “When did you…”

The Akuma laughed.

“When I joined you! After I squashed the yellow golem I found that Toma guy! I figured if I copied his appearance you wouldn’t be able to tell! Remember how you mentioned about things being reversed? I put the white haired guy’s appearance on him. I’m smart. My skin is a paper mirror. You fell right into my trap!”

          The Akuma transformed his arm into Allen’s weapon and slashed again and again. Tock shrieked as blood splashed the walls. She could take it no longer. She transformed and let loose a deafening roar. The Akuma turned around only to be met by her steel jaws. Tock shook the offending beast and, with a flick of her long neck, tossed it high into the air, watching as it sailed away over the rooftops. When it was out of sight she rushed to Kanda’s side. He was unconscious and bleeding heavily.

          “Oh Jaysus, Mary an’ Joseph…” Tock whispered.

          “He’s still breathing. He’s alive.” Allen said as he wrapped a strip of cloth around the wound. “We should get underground. I know where there’s an entrance to an underground passage.”

          Tock nodded solemnly and knelt down to allow Allen to hoist both Kanda and Toma onto her back.

          “Oh, me cooshle ma cree…” she said quietly as they started down the passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Favorite line: "Poor ol' Tim! He's banjanxed!"
> 
> That was fun to say in an Irish accent.
> 
> What Tock says to Kanda at the end is the phonetic pronunciation of a gaelic phrase that roughly translates to 'my darling my heart'. The phonetic variation I used is what's native to the general area of Ireland she's from.
> 
> I'm such a nerd when it comes to getting things like that right. If the Gaelic dictionary I'm using specifies differences in Irish dialects then I'm totally going to be anal about it. 
> 
> Tock's not from Northern Ireland though. That being said it's not like she's going to be knocking Allen on the head for being British. Her and her brother aren't really Protestant or Catholic. They've worked for everything they have so they really don't see why they should be giving thanks to anyone but themselves. Pat yerself on the back.


	6. Chapter 5: The Aria of the Land and the Clear Skies, Act 3

**Chapter 5**

The Aria of the Land and the Clear Skies, Act 3

“So,” Allen Walker asked as they descended into the bowels of Mater, “What exactly happened to your body after you…well…” He wanted to say ‘died’ but somehow that didn’t seem quite right.

          “Yah, everyone has trouble describing me, dun worry about it.” Tock said. “Anywho, me body is back at the order, they’ve been keeping it on ice until they can figure out a way to get my soul back into it. I’ve tried to get myself out of this body but my soul seems…stuck somehow. The science department doesn’t want to try and force it out either on the chance that I couldn’t get back in to the body I have now. So basically I’m stuck like this. Kanda and I were researching reincarnation before we got called here. We have a thought that--”

          Tock paused suddenly, her eyes shone like beams in the darkness and focused at the end of the tunnel.

          “What is it?” Allen asked.

          “I hear something.”

          They stood there, not daring to breathe as they listened for the sound again. It was voices, and Allen could barely make out what they were saying.

          “…yes Guzol. I belong to you. I’m your doll.”

          “That’s the girl!” Tock said.

          But Allen was already rushing down the tunnel. She ran after him and entered a cavernous room right as a large stone pillar was thrown at her, shattering inches above her head.

          “Eek!!” she screamed.

          “Find some cover Tock! I’ll take care of her!” Allen called.

          Tock ducked under an archway and crouched down, her wings raised slightly to protect her fallen comrades. And not a moment too soon as another stone pillar came whizzing by, knocking out all of the others.

          “There’s nothing left to throw,” Allen said, “Please, talk to me if there’s something I should know. I can’t fight against a cute girl.”

          Tock rolled her eyes and emerged from her hiding place. A few moments later she and Allen had laid Kanda and Toma on the ground. Tock had unceremoniously grabbed Allen by the back of his exorcist’s coat and shaken him out of it before folding it into a pillow for her partner.

          “You could have just asked.” Allen said as he rubbed his head.

          Tock simply shrugged and, in her normal form, curled up next to Kanda.

          “Do you remember Greece? Nothing could ever be as bad as Greece.” She whispered.

          _“I’ve told you time and time again Eva, I’m fine!” Kanda growled._

_“As fine as someone who can’t even stand up without the blood rushin’ to his head.” Eva growled back, “You got a bad dose Kanda! Is it that impossible fer ya to just accept that?!”_

_“…I just…I just don’t want you out there on your own.” Kanda said at last._

_Eva laughed, it was a lovely ringing laugh._

_“Is that all? You’re sitting here flah'ed out with yer gut vexed an’ yer worried about me?”_

          _“You’re still mortal-”_          

          _“An’ you are too to some degree or else ye wouldn’t be in this predicament now would ye?” Eva said._

_Kanda sighed in defeat._

_“Just try not to get in any fights you can’t win.” He said._

_“I coulda sworn that was more of your problem.” Eva winked._

“…It’s been eighty years since that day…”

          Tock looked up, the doll was finishing her story and Toma had woken up.

          “Guzol’s going to stop moving soon. I can hear the sound of his heart winding down. Please let me stay with him until the end. I don’t care what happens to me after Guzol dies. Guzol was the only one who accepted me in the past five-hundred years. Let me be a doll until the end! Please!”

          Tock was about to reply when she felt Kanda shift. He was waking up.

          “Kanda…” Tock said evenly, trying to keep him from over exerting himself.

          But it was to no avail, Kanda sat up anyway and glared harshly at Allen.

          “No. You want us to wait until he dies? We don’t have that kind of luxury. We came here to protect the innocence.” He turned and Tock could almost feel the anger radiating off of him. His dark eyes boring holes into her. “Take that doll’s heart now!” he snarled.

          “I’ll take it if the boy kills it first! I’m not about ta take apart something that’s talkin’ like it is.” Tock growled back. “Now lie down yer not ta be movin’ like ye are.”

          Kanda gave a growl of frustration and threw the coat he had been laying on at her.

          “That coat is not a pillow for the wounded. We’ve been over this. You have to be willing to sacrifice things for the greater good. Even your morals.” He huffed.

          Tock transformed again and pinned him down with one claw.

          “And ye’ve gone and opened yer wound again.” She ground out, trying to mask the concern in her voice as she leaned in to inspect the blood blossoming on the makeshift bandage.

          “Please don’t take it.” The doll pleaded.

          Tock looked over and at that moment Kanda was able to wriggle free of her paw, striding over to the construct and it’s keeper, unsheathing Mugen and pointing it at them. Then, without warning, Allen stepped in.

          “Wait, I’ll be the sacrifice.” He said.

          Tock and Kanda growled in unison.

          “All they wish for is to die on their own terms.” Allen continued. “I can’t take the innocence from this doll until then. As long as I destroy the Akuma, there shouldn’t be a problem then. Right? To win a war built on sacrifices, is just empty.”

          Kanda’s response was to punch him squarely in the face. Then, as his wound opened up once more, he staggered and fell to his knees.

          “Kanda!” Tock said, carefully picking him up and placing him at her feet. “I warned ye not to move!” she hissed.

          Kanda didn’t reply, he only tried to catch his breath and make the world stop tilting. After a moment, he spoke.

          “What an idiot. You’d sacrifice yourself for others just because you feel sorry for them? Don’t you have anything dear to you?!” he snapped.

          “What was dear to me, I lost long ago.” Allen said gravely. “It’s not that I feel sorry for them. And it isn’t for any noble reasons either. I just don’t want to see that side of things. That’s all it is. I’m only human, my heart goes out to what’s in front of me instead of the big picture. I can’t cut them off like that. I want to protect them if I can.”

          _Shuck!_

The three exorcists turned at the noise. The Akuma had found them and impaled both Guzol and the doll on his claws. With a yank and burst of sand it pulled them away.

          “It’s him!” Allen shouted, running in the direction the doll and it’s keeper had just been taken.

          Tock stood and Kanda readied Mugen. They watched as the Akuma tore into the doll and removed the innocence.

          “I’ve got the innocence!” It laughed gleefully.

          As she locked her eyes on the shining material, Tock felt her own innocence heart quiver. She looked over at Kanda, but he was staring at something else. She followed his gaze and couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her. Allen’s left arm was transforming.

          “Return that innocence.” He said in a dangerously calm tone.

          “Sir-walker’s anti-Akuma weapon, it’s changing form.” Toma said.       

          “Parasite type accommodators manipulate their weapons using their emotions,” Kanda explained, “It’s responding to the host’s rage.”

          “Rage _is_ an ugly emotion.” Tock said.

          Allen suddenly sprang into the air, aiming to attack the Akuma.

          “You idiot! Your weapon isn’t finished reshaping itself!” Kanda yelled.

          Tock spread her wings and took flight, finding the underground cavern roomy enough for her airborne attacks.

          Allen aimed his weapon at the Akuma and fired what appeared to be anti-Akuma missiles.

          “A gun?!” Tock and Kanda said.

          But when the dust cleared the Akuma was nowhere to be found. Then, something began moving under the sand.

          “You can’t destroy me with that if I’m sand!” the Akuma screeched.

          Tock landed on a ledge sticking out of the wall, returning to her normal form to make herself less conspicuous. She was curious what the kid would do next. But she found herself watching as Allen was swallowed up by the sand-formed Akuma.

          “Heh, heh, heh! I’ve got you! You’re done! Checkmate!” the Akuma laughed, brandishing the arm it copied from Allen. “I wonder how many stabs it will take you to die!”

          “Kanda!” Tock called as the Akuma began stabbing itself, trying to reach Allen.

          “He’s okay!” Kanda called back.

          No sooner had he said it then there was a loud _clank_. Then, Allen came bursting from out of the Akuma’s belly, the spears snapping off on his weapon. Allen’s weapon transformed into a sword and he split the Akuma’s skin in two.

          “Ah! My sand skin!” the Akuma cried as it’s protection folded away.

          “Now you’re back to your original form. I won’t give you time to replicate, I’m going to blow a hole through you!” Allen growled as his weapon morphed into a cannon again.

          “I still have your arm!” the Akuma laughed, reaching for the young exorcist.

          Allen’s weapon fired, and the tremendous force of the blast sent the Akuma straight into the tiled floor. Tock was nearly dislodged from her hold on the ledge.

          “Guzol loved Lala.” Allen said, “I won’t forgive you!”

          “Damn it!” The Akuma said, “How can this be? I have the same arm as him! How could he possibly defeat me?!”

          That was its limit, Tock realized, the Akuma may have had the same weapon as Allen, but while the boy’s was powered by innocence, the Akuma’s was powered by dark matter. The only person who could truly wield an anti-Akuma weapon was an exorcist. And the more a person synchronized with their innocence the more powerful they became.

          Suddenly, Allen choked and fell to the ground, coughing and gagging on blood.

          _“Damn it! He’s rebounding!”_ Tock panicked.

          She transformed and folded her wings into a dive, heading straight for the Akuma. But as she was about to come out of the dive, her left wing locked and she crashed hard into the tile floor.

          “Heh, heh, heh! I’m killing two birds with one stone!” the Akuma laughed gleefully. “first to take care of the little metal lizard!”

          Tock scrambled to get away but her wing simply wouldn’t move and her claws were scrabbling to find purchase on the smooth tile floor. She shut her eyes and waited for the fatal blow.

          But the blow never came. Instead she heard the clank of weapon on weapon. She opened her eyes and looked up; Kanda was standing above her, Mugen drawn and blocking the Akuma’s attack. He was panting and she could see a stain steadily darkening his bandages.

          “Kanda…” she whispered.

          Kanda looked down at her.

          “What the hell was that?!” he shouted.

          Tock startled and pouted.

          “I canna help that me wing’s locked up. I must’ve bollixed it when I hit that gargoyle tryin’ ta land in that alley topside!”

          Kanda growled and turned his attention to Allen.

          “And as for you! You’re pathetic! What the hell are you doing running out of steam at the last minute! You’re the one who claimed you wanted to protect them! I hate your tender hearted ways but I hate people who don’t keep their promises even more!” he snarled.

          Surprisingly, Allen chuckled.

          “So you’ll hate me either way. I haven’t lost steam. I was just ‘taking a break’.”

          Kanda growled and readjusted his grip on Mugen.

          “You just keep pissing me off.”

          “Takin’ a break.” Tock drawled mockingly in her accent as she finally righted herself.

          They looked at each other and then launched themselves at the Akuma.

          “TURN TO DUST!!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll hear about what went down in Greece at a later date. I actually have it planned out. It's a f-k-up of one of Hercules' trials. 
> 
> So yeah, I actually liked how I worked Tock into the story here. It's not too invasive but I was just warming up.


	7. Chapter 6: The Aria of the Land and the Clear Skies, Final Act

**Chapter 6**

The Aria of the Land and the Clear Skies, Final Act

         

          “Sounds nice, blue skies, the emerald sea…”

          “What’s your point?” Kanda growled, peeling a bandage off his cheek.

          “My point?” Komui said, over the phone, “I’m jealous damnit! It’s been three days since you reported destroying the Akuma! What have you been doing? They’re working me so hard! I can’t even go outside! It’s like I’m a princess trapped in a castle!”

          “Snrk, yah, princess, he’s got that right.” Tock snickered. “Keep yer knickers on boss.”

          “Save your complaints for him!” Kanda growled, now refusing to use Allen’s name. “By the way, I can’t work with him.”

          “Oh you can’t work with anyone.” Komui said, pausing to listen to Tock scream something about not pulling the I.V. out. “Where is Allen by the way?”

          “He’s still with the doll in Mater.”

          “About the doll…is it almost time?” Komui asked.

          “Probably,” Kanda sighed, “that doll is no longer the doll it used to be. It’ll stop soon.”

          Just then, the doctor came in.

          “Just what do you think you’re doing?” he shouted.

          “I’m going home. You can bill the Order.” Kanda said coolly.

          “Absolutely not! You’re a patient in critical condition! It’s going to take at least five months for a complete recovery.” The doctor protested.

          “I’m healed.” Kanda replied.

          “There’s no way!” the doctor said even as Tock handed him a piled of bandages.

          “Thanks for your care.” Kanda said as he shrugged on his shirt.

          Tock hopped up on his shoulders as he walked out. He handed her a hair tie and she began pulling his hair back into his trademark ponytail while he continued his conversation with Komui.

          “It took a while to heal this time Kanda.” Komui said.

          “But it healed.”

          “But if it’s taking longer to heal that means it’s becoming defunct. Try not to miscalculate…”

          Tock didn’t want to hear the rest, instead concentrating on what she was doing.

          “I actually called to tell you about your next mission.” She heard Komui say.

          “Ooh, where’re we goin’ next?” she said, wagging her tail.

          “You’ll like this one Tock. You’re headed to Ireland, a little town called Kellsborough to be exact.”

          “Yahoo!” Tock cried happily, literally doing a flip she was so excited. “Oh Komui you’re brilliant I tell you!” she said, planting a kiss into the receiver.

           When they were a little ways out of town Kanda stopped and Tock hopped off, transforming.

          “Can you fly?” Kanda asked.

          “Yah, Toma here found me a nice mechanic and he fixed me up. Good thing too, I bent a couple of bolts back there.”

          “Well, as long as you’re not completely useless.” Kanda grumbled as he climbed aboard.

          Once he and Toma were securely in place, she took off in a leap. It was about a three minute flight to Mater, and she landed with a thump at the bottom of a long flight of stairs, at the top of which was Allen.

          “Wake up,” Kanda barked, “You’re supposed to be guarding them.”

          “Huh? What’s a guy who’s supposed to be bedridden for five months doing here?” Allen grumbled.

          “I’m healed.”

          “You’ve got to be joking.”

          “Shut up.” Kanda growled, plopping down next to him. “I have a message from Komui, after that Tock and I are going straight to our mission.”

          “We’re going to Ireland!” Tock said gleefully.

          “That means you need to deliver the innocence to the Order.”    

          “Got it.” Allen sighed.

          Tock and Kanda looked at him.

          “If it’s too hard on you, go on and stop it. That thing isn’t ‘Lala’ anymore right?” Kanda said.

          Tock whacked him on the shoulder.

          “Oh hush up. Even I couldn’t stop that thing and believe me I want to.” She said. “It talks, and that’s just strange. It’s too human for my liking.”

          “It’s their promise to each other. The one who destroys ‘Lala’ should be Guzol.”

          Tock sniffed, out of a slight bit of disdain for the new exorcist’s heartfelt ways.

          “You’re really quite soft Allen, you know that?” She said, “And one of these days it’s going to get you killed.”

          “We’re destroyers, not saviors.” Kanda reminded him.

          “I know.” Allen said, a cynical smile on his face.

          Just then, a harsh, cold wind blew in. And there was silence.

          “She’s stopped.” Tock said.

          But Allen was already headed down the stairs. By the time they got to him, he was holding the broken doll and crying.

          “Hey. What’s wrong?” Kanda called.

          “Kanda…even so, I want to be a destroyer who can save others.”

          Tock sniffed again.

          “He’s either going to destroy us or save us. There’s really no grey area here is there dear?”

          

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tock doesn't like to think about how her partner's clock is ticking just a little too fast for her liking. I have something planned out for that but I honestly hope it fits with what Katsura Hoshino is writing.
> 
> That's the problem with gothic manga. It's so damned depressing. Not that I've read the end of FMA but if Roy and Riza don't at least kiss imma fly over to Japan and kick some moo-cow butt. It's gonna be Misery out there folks. Misery.


	8. Chapter 7: On the Shores of the Emerald Isle

**Chapter 7**

On the Shores of the Emerald Isle

          Kanda stood out on the deck of the ferry they had taken from Holyhead. It would be another forty-five minutes before they reached the docks in Dublin but he wasn’t sure how long he would last. In the four hours it had taken to get this far, Tock had insisted on belting out every Gaelic tune she could think of. Kanda was surprised at first, he didn’t think Tock knew that much of the old language, but now he was just annoyed.

          “Lá oíche mé bhi, fuair anchúinse,

in éineacht le mo eile cailín Elaine,

dáirire, muid spraoi a dhéanamh,

agus ansin…”

          A vein popped in Kanda’s head as she mumbled something unintelligible before dissolving into a laughing fit. She calmed herself quickly though and continued.

“Aon agam caillte aimsigh dar an scéal,

níl a fhios agam  céard tá tharla,

scríobh sé  mé  litir,

mo fo-éadaí  smeach,

ceapaim ansin bhi cailín leasmhar,

is céard tá  ceapaim,

níl a fhios agam céard abraim!”[1]

          Kanda growled as she dissolved into laughter again and stomped over.

          “Oh shut it.” He said, nudging her none too gently with his foot.

          Tock uncurled herself from the laughing ball of metal she had been and stared at him coyly.

          “Ach Kanda me dear, ye canna tell me ye dunna enjoy a little song.” She said, her brogue so thick he could barely make out the words.

          “Che…”

OMFGLINEGOESHERE

          “I thought food in this country was supposed to be crap. This is actually edible.”

That was Kanda’s way of saying he liked what he was eating.

“What is it again?” He asked, spearing a piece of the black colored food on his fork.

They were in a small pub, waiting for their finder to meet them and brief them on the situation.

“Drisheen” Tock answered.

“And what’s it made from?”

“Ground beef, potato meal, and sheep’s blood, cooked in a pigs intestine.” Tock said.

          Kanda immediately spit it out.

          “What?! You expect me to eat this?! That’s disgusting!” He shouted.

          “No more disgusting than raw fish!” Tock argued.

          “Sushi is an art! And doesn’t have any blood or intestines!” Kanda growled.

          Tock laughed.

          “Fine, fine, I’ll get ye summat else ta eat.” She called over to the bartender, “Can I get a slice of yer Sheppard’s pie?”

          “What’s the pie made from? Eyeballs?” Kanda snorted sarcastically.

          “No,” Tock said, “ground beef, corn and mashed potatoes.”

          Kanda made a small noise in the back of his throat that meant he approved. As they were waiting for the pie, their finder finally showed up.

          “My name is Finnian.” He said, taking a seat.

          “Ye can call me Tock,” Tock said, “an’ this ‘ere is Kanda.” She said, pointing to her partner who was poking at the pie with his fork; probably expecting it to get up and crawl away.

          “So tell us what’s been happening.” She continued.

          “Well, it started about a month ago. Reports were coming in about a large dog and cat that had been appearing on the roads leading in and out of the town at night. And when I say large, I mean the size of horses. And what’s worse is that they started attacking travelers. That’s when the Order got involved. They figured that it was either an innocence phenomenon, or that innocence was nearby and they were Akuma dispatched to destroy it.”

          “The book of Kells is here,” Tock pointed out, “’ave ye checked that?”

          Finnian nodded.

          “Yes, the book is just a book.”

          “What’s this ‘book of Kells’?” Kanda asked.

          “It’s a bible, but it’s drawn with such beautiful Celtic designs that people travel here to see it.” Tock answered. Then she turned back to their finder, “so this cat and dog attack people only at night? Sounds like a barghuest and a cait-sith if you ask me.”

          “Yes, that’s what the locals are saying but I think it’s more likely that two level two’s have taken on the form of a barghuest and a cait-sith to better frighten the locals.” Finnian replied.

          A small cough interrupted them. Kanda was looking none too pleased at being left out of the loop. Tock smiled.

          “A barghuest is a giant black dog that spits fire and eats people who travel at night. A cait-sith is a fairy cat who does the same but not as much as the barghuest. Cait-sith serve the fairy queen and usually only eat people who go too far into the forest.”

          “Fairies?” Kanda said suspiciously.

          Tock pouted.

          “Aye fairies. There’s fairies all over the forest and ye best not be bothering them or they’ll take you away or cast a curse on ye.”

          “Che.” Kanda huffed. “So these monster’s only come out at night then? Looks like we should spend the day resting and head out at sunset.”

          “Sounds like a plan.” Tock grinned. 

         

  


* * *

[1] Okay, this is actually a song. And the first person who can guess it correctly will win a real life prize. Either a picture, a comic, or a fic specially produced for them. Or a spot in my Vlog, which comes out in Feb. (i.e. Free advertising) I will give you three clues to the song and whoever can guess its title and origin will win.

  1. The first clue is in the song itself, and in Tock’s behavior.
  2. The song is an Irish song but not Irish in origin. It was sung in English and translated into Gaelic by me.
  3. The song can be found on youtube, but it’s not by any band.



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will eat most things but Drisheen is not one of them. So this is the start of the Killer in Kells arc and in most of the missions I do I'm going to be exercising my knowledge of mythology. So expect to see kelpies and faeries and selkies. and all that jazz. 
> 
> The song is actually a real song but it was originally sung in English in America and not by a band. If you can tell me what it is I'll put you in the Vlog about anime that I'm working on. You can use a translator too. Just any old Gaelic translator should give you enough clues if you know of the video I got it from. The video can be googled on youtube. So try that out if you've got the time.


	9. Chapter 8: The Running of the White Stag

**Chapter 8**

The Running of the White Stag

          _Eva’s long, pale fingers traced the contours of Kanda’s OM. The black marking still felt hot beneath her fingers and, according to her partner, had been having a fit only moments before. That was what had woken her up, him trying to keep quiet while it sent jolts of pain through his body._

_“What is this thing?” she asked._

_Kanda tensed and refused to meet her gaze._

_“Can ye tell me why it was hurtin’ then?” Eva tried._

_That got Kanda to look at her; even if it was only to say:_

_“Remind me why I’m letting you use me as a pillow?”_

_Eva giggled and snuggled deeper against his chest._

_“’ow about: because you love me?” she said._

_“Che.”_

 

          “Oy, get up.” Kanda said, poking Tock none too gently.

          Tock uncurled herself from her meditating state, the only way she was able to ‘sleep’ in her current form. She yawned and stretched and looked out their window at the beautiful full moon.

          “Full moon. That means that the boogies are about.” She said.

          Kanda said nothing as he strapped Mugen to his waist. As they walked to meet their finder on the road the two supposed Akuma had last been seen at, Tock sighed wistfully.

          “Feels good to be home, even if we are on a spook hunt.” She said.

          “What about your brother?” Kanda asked; Tock always spoke fondly of her brother and missed him dearly. She would have probably gone running to him when they had gotten off the boat if it wouldn’t mean endangering him and her town.

          “Ah Daniel, I wish I could see him. Actually, scratch that, I wish I had my body back so’s I could see him without giving him a bloody heart attack. Lad’s only twenty-three ya know. Oh hey, I think I see our Finder. Hullo Finnian!” She called, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was right next to Kanda’s ear.

          Finnian waved and approached them. They were near the Mullins Mill along the King’s river. The mill had stopped operating several hours ago but the wheel was still turning with the river’s flow.  

          “The Akuma have been blocking the bridge up ahead,” Finnian said, “and they don’t care one way or another about crossing running water.”

          “Well that’s ‘cause they are Akuma and not a couple of boogies.” Tock said.

          Kanda was about to mutter some sort of scathing remark about Tock’s superstitious nature when an unearthly howl pierced the air. All three turned to see two pairs of glowing eyes floating in the air above the middle of the bridge. As they continued to stare, two shapes began to form; one was a gigantic wolf with horns all over its body, the other was a cat with butterfly wings. Both were clearly Akuma and hungry for exorcist blood.

          Tock smirked and hopped off of Kanda’s shoulders.

          “I’ll take the cait-sith, you stick to the barghuest. ‘ow’s that sound?” she asked her partner.

          Kanda unsheathed Mugen.

          “Sounds good to me.”

          They rushed the Akuma, Tock transforming and taking flight in time with the cait-sith. She twisted around mid-air, trying to catch the creature with her long tail, but the cait-sith was too quick. It dodged her attack and came at her with its claws out. Thinking quickly, Tock shielded herself with her wings and felt the creature glance off. She did a front-flip and was able to bring her long tail down upon the creature’s head, rendering it stunned for a few moments. But a few moments was all Tock needed ram into it and dig her claws into its body and blast it with fire; the cait-sith yowled and exploded. Tock twisted around and saw Kanda digging Mugen out of the barghuest’s skull before leaping away as it too exploded.

          “That was brilliant!” Finnian said.

          Tock smirked.

          “Aw it was nothin’.” She said, “Just a little milling to keep us in shape.”

          “You should head back into town and let the mayor know we took care of the problem.” Kanda said.

          Finnian nodded and ran off in the direction of town. Tock watched as Kanda searched the area where the two Akuma had been.

          “There’s nothing here.” He said, “No innocence or anything that looks like it would draw Akuma.”

          Tock was about to reply when she caught something glinting out of the corner of her eye. She swiveled her head and couldn’t believe her eyes. There was a glowing white stag in the forest next to them, just staring. Without a word Tock ran straight into Kanda, scooping him up on her back before running straight into the woods.

          “What the hell are you doing? Have you lost your mind?!” Kanda shouted.

          “Ara be whist!” Tock hissed, “That’s the white stag! It could be what the Akuma were after!”

          “White Stag?!” Kanda snarled.

          But then he saw it too, bounding just a few yards ahead of them was a stag so brilliantly white it was glowing. He settled on to Tock’s back as they raced through the woods, leaping over fallen logs and dodging low tree branches. Then, Kanda heard the sound of hooves.

          “We’ve got company.” He warned, placing his hand on Mugen’s hilt.

          Tock stole a quick glance behind them and saw a man on horseback coming up on them rather quickly, two strange dogs followed in his wake.

          “Aye, I see ‘im.” She said. “Another Akuma?”

          “Can’t tell unless he attacks us.”

          “Makes me almost jealous of that Allen kid’s magic eye.” Tock smirked.

          They came upon the edge of a loch and Tock saw the stag turn. She tried to follow it but fish tailed and her tail ended up in the water. That was all the kelpie needed.

Tock felt a pull and was yanked into the water. She yelped and splashed about, feeling something dragging her under. She lashed out with her claws and finally opened her eyes. Kanda was fighting with what appeared to be a kelpie. It was a large horse creature with weeds for a mane and tail. The kelpie lashed out with its hooves and Kanda just barely managed to block them in time. Thinking quickly, Tock let herself sink to the sandy bottom of the loch. As soon as her feet touched the ground she propelled herself at the Kelpie, bashing it in the head with her horns. Knocked senseless, Kanda was able to slice its head clean off with Mugen. Tock grabbed him and swam for the surface.

          The two teenagers flopped onto the bank, soaked and exhausted.

          “What…the hell…was…that?” Kanda panted.

          “A kelpie…” Tock said, her lack of lungs was occasionally a blessing, “like the cait-sith and the barghuest they eat travelers. I guess it didn’t like me being so close to its loch.”

          “Kelpie…? That was…an…Akuma for sure.” Kanda breathed.

          Just then Tock perked up, someone was approaching. She looked up and gasped. It was a man, well, most of it was. This thing had the body of a man but the head of a stag, the antlers glistened in the moonlight.

          “Good show back there, it’s been a while since I’ve had such fine hunting partners.” The deer-man said.

          “Hunting partners?” Kanda scowled.

          “Why yes. You’ve come to join the Wild Hunt correct?”

          “Wild Hunt?” Tock asked, “But then that must mean…”

          The creature’s cervine features smiled.

          “Yes, I am Herne. Herne the Hunter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Milling=fighting
> 
> Herne the Hunter? As much as Herne is of English origin tales of him have been found all throughout the UK. Adding Herne as a character was mainly inspired by Mike Mignola's Wild Hunt tale featuring Hellboy. I do love Hellboy. You'll see more of my manipulation of the tale as the mission progresses. This mission will be in 3 chapters, with this being the first. I'm trying to treat it as a manga story so it's going to be kinda short but hopefully long enough to have some impact. There's plenty more to come in the next chapter: The Faerie Queen.


	10. Chapter 9 The Faerie Hollow

**Chapter 9**

The Faerie Hollow

          Despite Kanda’s many protests, Tock insisted that they allow Herne to camp with them.

          “We’re not even sure if he’s human!” Kanda had hissed as they settled down in a small clearing.

          Tock had hit him over the head and muttered for him to shut up. Herne tied his horse and his hunting dogs settled down next to it. They lit a fire and Herne sat back with a sigh. Then, much to Tock and Kanda’s astonishment, he grabbed his antlers and removed his deer’s head. Tock stared wide-eyed; Herne was a handsome man, with a slightly roughish appearance. Then she looked at the deer’s head, it had become nothing more than a mask made of leather and branches.

          “A glamour!” She gasped.

          “That’s right,” Herne smiled, “I know a few faerie tricks. So I take it that you aren’t here for the Wild Hunt?”

          Tock shook her head.

          “No sir, we came looking for a special object. We think it’s the cause of all the boogies being restless, attacking humans and such. We thought perhaps the white stag had something to do with it, for the object we seek glows white.”

          Herne rubbed his scruffy chin in thought.

          “Perhaps it is the white stag. But if you want to know of mystical objects and faerie stones, you’d best ask the Faerie Queen.”

          “Faerie Queen?” Kanda said skeptically.

          “Aye lad,” Herne said, “the Faerie Queen is the ruler of these forests. If there’s a faerie stone that makes boogies go mad then she’ll know about it. I can take you to her.”

          Tock sat up, wagging her tail excitedly.

          “You really would?”

          Herne laughed heartily.

          “Why sure. Two fine hunters such as yourselves deserve an audience with the Queen. We’ll set out tomorrow.”

          Tock laughed and hugged him.

          “Oh Herne, you’re wonderful!”

\---

_“Eva! Eva I’m home!”_

_At the sound of her brother’s voice Eva bolted from the workshop and into his waiting arms._

_“Daniel!” she beamed, hugging him tightly. Then she looked up, her face serious. “What’d you bring me?”_

_Daniel laughed._

_“Alright then, close your eyes.” He said._

_Eva covered her eyes, struggling not to peek as she heard him rummage around in his bag._

_“Alright now. Open them.”_

_Eva opened her eyes and gasped. Daniel was holding a wooden figurine of a deer, exquisitely carved and painted pure white._

_“The white stag! Oh Daniel you’re the best!” she cried, holding the figurine delicately, as though it were a relic of some sort. “Tell me the story again.” She said as they sat on the couch._

_“Herne the Hunter and the White Stag?” Daniel replied, earning a nod from Eva, “Well now, Herne the Hunter was the finest huntsman in the kingdom, admired by all of the King’s court. One day the King and Herne were hunting in the forest when they spotted a boar of immense size, with tusks like kitchen knives. But this boar was the pet of Arduinna, and when Herne killed it, Arduinna appeared. She slew Herne with her knife. But it was no ordinary knife, it was a knife of Faerie making. It tore Herne’s soul from his body and turned it into a white stag, faster than any deer alive. ‘If you want to leave this forest, you will have to catch your soul.’ Arduinna laughed. And so Herne was cursed to wander the forest for eternity, constantly in search of the White Stag, his soul.”_

_Eva smiled, gently stroking the figurine._

_\---_

Tock sighed happily as she uncurled herself from her state of meditation. She turned to look at her partner who was still fast asleep. She smiled, it was only rarely that find that kind of peace.

          “Your friend reminds me of me.” A voice said.

          Tock turned around; Herne was awake too, tending to the fire to stave off the morning frost.

          “’ow’s that?” Tock asked.

          “There is a certain disconnect between his body and soul. It’s probably why he’s so irritable, that kind of discord creates a tempest within.”

          Tock nodded.

          “Yes, I hope one day he’ll be able to catch his white stag.” She said.

          Deciding that they should head out before it was too late, Tock went over and poked Kanda in the ribs, narrowly avoiding the elbow that was aimed at her face.

          “Come off it!” She yelped, “It’s morning alright?”

          Kanda sat up and glared at her. Tock only smirked back and plucked out the leaf that was stuck in his hair.

\---

          So with Tock in her activated form she and Kanda were able to ride alongside Herne as they made their way to the Faerie Hollow. Once they had entered the forest proper the trees grew so thick that only little pinpricks of light were able to get through the leaves, making it impossible to tell the time of day. Herne conjured up a ball of Will o’ the Wisp to light their way, placing it between the antlers of his mask. Tock’s eyes shone on their own, acting as torches in the ever growing darkness.

They were almost there, according to Herne, when a strange cry sounded. Kanda immediately reached for Mugen but Herne laughed.

“Easy now lad, it’s only Guennean.” He said.

          Herne held out his arm and a pure white barn owl landed on it, cooing softly.

          “This is Guennean, my longtime friend and companion.” He said as he let the owl sit on his shoulder.

          Then the dogs began baying and howling, running in excited circles.

          “Are we close then?” Tock asked.

          “Aye, we must be if the hounds are acting up.” The huntsman replied.

          As they rode further into the strange woods Kanda leaned down and whispered to Tock.

          “Do you think he’s an exorcist?” he asked.

          “Eh?” Tock whispered back, “What are you goin’ on about?”

          “That light trick, the way he was after that deer…how do we know he’s not some sort of rogue exorcist?”

          “Because he’s Herne the Hunter,” Tock hissed, “just have a wee bit of faith in the old tales will ya?”

          Kanda grumbled and sat back, trying not to focus on the owl staring at him.

          At last the path they were wandering began to widen and widen and eventually turned into a large clearing. And at the far end of the clearing were three stones with glowing blue markings on them and a small mound. But no Faerie Queen.

          “Where is she?” Kanda growled.

          Herne sat back on his horse.

          “My Queen, I have brought two travelers with me. Great huntsmen who seek an audience with you.” He called.

          A sudden gust of wind blew past them, picking up leaves and swirling them around. The leaves blew onto the mound in front of the stones before finally settling, leaving a very beautiful woman in their place.

          The Faerie Queen’s beauty was quite extraordinary, there was something otherworldly about her, and her deep green robes seemed to shimmer with their own light.

          “Greetings Herne.” She said.

          Herne bowed and Tock did the same, upsetting Kanda’s balance and causing him to do the same.

          “My Queen I have here two hunters who wish to ask you a question. They are very powerful, for they were able to slay the kelpie who lived in the loch.”

          “And a cait-sith and a barguest that had been terrorizin’ the town of Kellsborough.” Tock chimed in.

          The Faerie Queen studied them for a moment, there was something about her that just seethed power.

          “You may speak, hunters.” She said.

          “We’re looking for an object,” Kanda said, “it’s called innocence. It looks like a golden cube surrounded by gears and glows bright white. We believe it’s the cause of the Akuma attacks around here.”

          “He means it’s why the boogies have gone mad.” Tock said. “We were wondering if you had any Faerie stones like that, or know of anything of that description.”

          The Faerie Queen looked thoughtful for a moment. Then she smiled.

          “Yes, I do believe I know of such an object. But I am not going to give such a powerful item away for free. You must go on a quest first.”

          “A quest?” Kanda said skeptically.

          The Faerie Queen smirked.

          “Why of course. You must deliver to me one selkie’s pelt.”

          “A selkie’s pelt!” Tock gasped.

          “By midnight tonight. You will find that the selkie likes to swim in the cove a mile from here. Steal her pelt for me and then you will get your stone of power.”

          And with that the Faerie Queen disappeared in a flurry of leaves.

          “This is going to be really bothersome isn’t it?” Kanda deadpanned.

          “Aye.” Tock nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A selkie's pelt? Well what's a good faerie story without an impossible quest amirite?
> 
> Okay, points of interest.
> 
> 1) Okay so my Herne doesn't actually have a deer's head. How'd that freak you out? There is no official Herne the Hunter story. The oldest dates back to Shakespeare who mentioned him in the Merry Wives of Windsor. From his description we can gather that he's some sort of ghost of a man who was hung for something he did wrong. Or for something he did that so depressed him he committed suicide. But as the legend goes on it would seem that he's been combined with Cerunnos, the Celtic god of the forest and fertility. So I imagine him as a man who gained a sort of Faerie status. The White Stag story will appear a few more times as the story goes on as it features heavily in the the culture of Tock's home town.
> 
> 2) Faerie stones are actually neolithic (stone age) artifacts or, later, Viking artifacts that were found before the inception of archaeology. So stone tools or Viking runestones would be called faerie stones and burial mounds were called faerie mounds.
> 
> 3) If you don't know what a selkie is Tock will explain it to Kanda in the next chapter, which is the final chapter of this arc. Then I get to transcribe an episode from the anime! No actually that will be hard. But not as hard as writing my own mission. I think I got lazy having half my stories here come pre-scripted.


	11. Chapter 10: The Selkie’s Warning, and a Battle with a Peryton

**Chapter 10**

The Selkie’s Warning, and a Battle with a Peryton

 

          “So just what the hell is a Selkie?” Kanda grumbled as he and Tock made their way down to the cove the Faerie Queen had mentioned.

          They would have taken Herne along but this was their quest, so he was not allowed to interfere. Kanda had grumbled something about not needing his help before Tock smacked him with her tail.

          “A selkie is a seal woman, kind of like a mermaid.” Tock explained. “Normally they look like seals but every now and again they come to the shore and shed their seal skins, becoming beautiful maidens. Sometimes fishermen become enraptured by their beauty and steal the skins so as to keep the selkie in her human form as their bride. But the selkies always long for the sea and pine for it if their skin has been lost to them.”

          “So the Faerie Queen wants us to steal a Selkie skin and ruin it’s life?” Kanda said.

          Tock paused for a moment.­

          “Well,” she said, digging her claws into the mossy ground, “I’m sure she’ll sell it back to her or make some other deal. Faeries can be generous, but they appreciate tributes.”

          Kanda grumbled and sat back as the night wind began to acquire a salty smell to it. Eventually the path they were on opened up into a rock cove. The waves slapped against the rocks and the moon illuminated the entire area. That’s when they heard the singing.

_“Over the waves you call to me_

_Shadow of dream, ancient mystery_

_Oh how I long for your sweet caress_

_Oh how I long for your gentleness_

_Torn between sea mists and solid land_

_Nights when I've ached for a human hand_

_I'll come to you when the moon shines bright_

_But I must go free with the first streak of light.” **[1]**_

          They could see the selkie maiden sitting on the rocky shore, combing her hair with the bones of a fish, singing beautifully. Tock was entranced by her beauty and if Kanda hadn’t bashed her over the head with Mugen she would have stood there all night long. She shook her head and glared at him but Kanda remained silent, only pointing at a far rock upon which was a shining pelt. The selkie’s skin.

          “Aye then, so what do we do?” Tock whispered.

          “You deactivate, I’ll try and sneak in and get the pelt. Be ready to reactivate and get us the hell out of here.” Kanda replied.

          Tock nodded and let him off before returning to normal. She noticed her joints were a little squeaky and wondered what exactly would happen to her if she were to remain activated for an extended period of time. Usually exorcists simply collapsed from exhaustion however since she had no body she had never thought that would affect her; but now she thought she was beginning to rust.

          “Curiouser and curiouser.” she muttered as she bounded up to Kanda.

          Kanda had silently slunk through the shadows and up to the rock where the pelt lay. He had just laid his hand on it when Tock’s leg squeaked. Kanda gave her a nearly deadly glare and snatched the pelt. That’s when they heard a gasp.

          They looked up and saw the selkie staring at them with a horrified expression on her face. Tock and Kanda instantly felt guilty.

          “Oh please don’t.” the selkie pleaded.

          Kanda shook off the feeling and stood up.

          “I’m sorry but we need this to get the innocence from the Faerie Queen.” he said.

          The selkie’s eyes went wide.

          “Oh, the Faerie Queen? But the Queen has been dead for some months now.” she said.

          Tock and Kanda stared.

          “We just saw her.” Kanda deadpanned.

          The selkie gasped.

          “Oh no! They’ve put a changeling in her place!” she cried.

          “A changeling?! Oh tha’s just brilliant! Them trickster bogies! Try’n a make us take yer pelt like that!” Tock exclaimed.

          “Excuse me!” Kanda barked, “What the hell is a ‘changeling’?!”

          Tock expressed a little steam and chuckled.

          “A changeling is like a doppelganger, it’s a faerie that takes the place of a person. Usually they do this with infants, like the cuckoo lays its eggs in the nest of another bird. I’m thinkin’ that this must be an Akuma, taking on the form of the faerie Queen.”

          “We all mourned, but none so hard as the Queen’s sister.” The selkie said meekly, her eyes still locked on the pelt Kanda was holding.

          “So the Queen’s really an Akuma. Why didn’t she just kill us?” he said.

          “Who knows? Perhaps she thinks it’s in the pelt, or some other object she would have us fetch. All’s I know is that we need to get back to the forest and kill her dead!”

          Kanda nodded in agreement before handing the pelt to the selkie.

          “I’m sorry for the trouble I caused you.” He said.

          The selkie blushed.

          “Tis alright. Good luck on your quest noble knight.” She said before slipping on the pelt and transforming into a seal and leaping back into the ocean.

          Tock snickered as Kanda climbed onto her back.

          “Noble knight eh?”

          “Let’s just get going before sunrise.” Kanda grumbled.

          Tock flew fast and hard all the way back to the clearing they had seen.

          “She must know we know her secret. It’s the only way we’d ever find this place again.” Tock said as Kanda dismounted.

          He unsheathed Mugen and they readied themselves.

          “Alright Akuma! Show yourself!” he shouted.

          A harsh wind suddenly picked up and dirt and leaves began blowing everywhere. Suddenly, in the circle of stones the Faerie Queen appeared.

          “So, the selkie told you did she?” she sneered, “well no matter, I’ll just find the innocence myself!”

          She let out a shriek and from the body burst a creature like a deer, but with feathered wings and bird-like talons.

          “A peryton!” Tock shouted.

          The peryton took to the skies and Tock quickly scooped up Kanda before racing after her.

          “What the hell is a peryton?!” Kanda snapped as he clambered onto Tock’s shoulders.

          “Legend has it that they’re the souls of dead Kings and Queens! But this is an Akuma so…do ‘er in the usual way?”

          Kanda smirked, it was good to have a partner who thought like he did.

          “Let’s get the bitch.”

          Tock banked left and caught the peryton as it was attempting to circle back for an attack. It was very large, almost as large as Tock, and those talons looked lethal. It swiped at her and Kanda. Tock grabbed a paw-full of feathers and shot off a stream of anti-Akuma fire. The peryton shrieked and backed off, spiraling upwards into a cloud.

          “Get me over her, then I can jump on and stick Mugen in her spine!” Kanda called.

          “Aye, jus’ hang on!” Tock called back.

          With a powerful flap of her wings she began ascending almost vertically, Kanda hanging on by grabbing at one of her metal spikes. As they entered the cloud there was another shriek and the peryton came flying at them. Tock rolled to the right and pushed herself over the creature, feeling Kanda leap off and hopefully land on its back. She swung herself around and saw Kanda fighting his way up the creature’s neck, the peryton spinning and bucking and trying to throw him off. She was thankful for all the time Kanda had spent riding and fighting on her back. He at last got to its neck and plunged Mugen in with all his might. The peryton let out one last shriek before going limp.

          “Tock!” Kanda shouted as he pulled out Mugen, knowing he had only seconds before the Akuma exploded.

          Tock swooped in and grabbed him just as the creature died in the fiery bang akumas chose as their deaths.  She quickly made for the ground and they collapsed, dirty and bloody from the battle.

          “Kuso!” Kanda groaned.

          “Eh?” Tock slurred.

          Kanda pointed with Mugen to the tree line and Tock gave a little gasp. Herne the Hunter was back.

          “My goodness, what a battle. And you two say you’re not hunters.” He smirked.

          “Hunters of a sort sir.” Tock said as she got up.

          Herne, still smirking, reached into the pocket of his cloak and removed a glowing white cube surrounded by gears.

          “I did finally catch that deer, but this is what fell from its stomach when I butchered it. It would seem that that deer was not my deer, but yours.”

          Kanda got up and took the innocence.

          “Thank-you.” He said.

          Herne nodded.

          “The sun is almost up. You should return to the village.”

          “I hope you find your deer Herne.” Tock said.

          Herne nodded.

          “Ah, thank-you for your blessing. Farewell Tock, Kanda, perhaps someday our paths will cross once more.”

          And with that he mounted his horse and rode back towards the forest, seeming to disappear right before their eyes.

          “Can we go now?” Kanda grumbled, “I’ve had enough of this weirdness.”

          Tock laughed as he climbed on her back.

          “Oh you think this is weird, after all we’ve seen?”

          “Talking seal people, Herne, a whole host of creatures? How the hell did you grow up here?”

          The ride back to town was short, as if the forest were close yet at the same time so far away. Finnian was ready to meet them at the bridge.

          “I can’t believe it! You’re alive!” He cried.

          “It’s only been a day; you’d give up on us that easily?” Kanda said.

          “Sir Kanda…It’s been two weeks!” Finnian said, confused.

          “Ooh boy,” Tock said, “This is just like in Tír na nÓg. One day in the realm of the faeries is quite a while in the realm of humans.”

          Kanda gave an exasperated sigh.

          “Where the hell was that pub, I need a drink.” He muttered.

          Tock deactivated and hopped on his shoulders.

          “Make that two!” she called.     

          “You don’t drink.” Kanda pointed out.

          “I know that! The other’s for me pal Finnian!” Tock smirked.

          Finnian chuckled.

          “Quite the bird ye’ve got yerself there.” He said to Kanda.

          Kanda thought he meant Tock’s wings in activated form. Little did he know that ‘Bird’ is slang for girlfriend.

  


* * *

[1] Seal Woman/Yundah- Mary McLaughlin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is-Seal Woman/Yundah by Mary McLaughlin.
> 
> Phew I never thought I'd get that done. Peryton's are one of the lesser known creatures of UK mythology so I didn't really have that much folklore to work with. But there was a ton of selkie lore. Tír na nÓg is one of my favorite mythological places. I actually made a math problem out of it. +500 Internets to whoever can solve it! 
> 
> For every 1 year spent in Tír na nÓg, 100 years passes in the mortal realm. How long must one spend in Tír na nÓg for 1 day to go by in the mortal realm?
> 
> I did solve it once, rather I got my dad to do it. So I sort of know the answer. 
> 
> Sooooo the next arc of this story is going to be just a rewrite of an episode of the anime. The Leaf of Revival. Doing parts like that let Tock grow as a character as she's subject to new situations and interactions. So yeah, I have a lot of catching up to do!


	12. Chapter 11: The Leaf of Revival Act 1

**Chapter 11**

The Leaf of Revival Act 1

 

          “But we just got back!” Tock griped to Komui.

          She and Kanda had gotten back from Ireland just the day before, only to be called into Komui’s office for another mission briefing. And, as if things couldn’t get any worse…

          “Sorry I’m late.”

          Tock and Kanda both stiffened at that familiar voice.

          “Oh lookit, it’s the little caffler from the Mater fiasco.” Tock sneered; a large part of her blamed Allen for the injuries Kanda sustained there.

          Kanda just glared.

          “How do you like cold weather?” Komui asked, “How about heat?”

          “I’d say I’m fine with either…” Allen replied.

          “Really, then you’ll be perfect for this next assignment.” Komui said.

          “Now ‘old up!” Tock protested, “Me n’ Kanda are immune to hot and cold things! He,” she pointed a claw accusingly at Allen, “is not!”

          “Kanda isn’t exactly immune to the weather.” Komui pointed out, seemingly oblivious to Kanda’s death glare.

          “Well, he can sure as hell withstand it better than that little amadán!”

          “Hey! I’m right here!” Allen said, even though he didn’t know what an ‘amadán’ was he suspected it was insulting.

          “That’s enough,” Komui said, still calm as ever, “my decision on this is final.”

          Tock ‘harrumphed’ and sat back, hissing steam.

          “Now then,” Komui continued, “we’ve learned of a village experiencing abnormal weather conditions. Snowing one moment while the next brings blazing hot winds.”

          “That’s strange,” Allen said, “What’s the cause?”

          “Innocence. Why else do you think we’d be called out eh?” Tock growled.

          “You, Tock and Kanda are to retrieve it, as a team.” Komui added.

          “Yes, of course.” Allen said.

          “Looking forward to it.” Kanda said while Tock grinned conspiratorially from his shoulder.

*******

          In the canals below the Black Order HQ, Tock had just settled herself into one of the boats when she heard footsteps. Still in a foul mood after being paired with Allen, she turned around to snap at the intruder but instantly softened upon seeing who it was.

          “Lavi!” she cried, launching herself at the redhead.

          “Tock! Long time no see.” Lavi laughed as Tock glomped onto him, practically smothering his face as she nuzzled him.

          “Lavi what’re you doing here?” Tock asked.

          “Didn’t you know? We’re tagging along.” Lavi replied.

          “Hmph, how annoying.” Kanda grumbled.

          “Aw now don’t say that.” Lavi said as he and Bookman boarded the boat, “we can all work together Yuu.”

          “Don’t call me that!” Kanda snarled.

          Tock fought not to giggle.

          “You know, since I’m an exorcist too I can help pitch in and battle.” Lavi pointed out.

          “Yah Kanda, we could use someone who knows what he’s doing.” Tock said with a decidedly evil sideways glance to Allen.

*****

          _“Hey, Lavi…” 14 year old Eva Fairbough called as she approached the apprentice bookman in the hall._

_“Hey Eva.” Lavi beamed._

_“Um…there’s something I wanted to tell you…ask you really…” Eva replied, looking down at her feet, “You fancy me a bit don’t you?”_

_Lavi laughed and scratched the back of his head._

_“Well, I can’t say no to a pretty girl.” but, on a more serious note added, “But this is about Kanda isn’t it?”_

_“Yeah.” Eva confessed, “It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s just that…”_

_“I get it, you two just click together. Like gears.” Lavi said, trying for an analogy on Eva’s level._

_“Exactly.” Eva said, “I hope we can still be friends! I don’t want you to be hurtin’ too badly over this!”_

_“Not at all!” Lavi said, waving his hand dismissively, “Actually, bookmen aren’t really supposed to be in relationships.”_

_Eva smiled a bit, there’s no way Kanda would call what he and Eva had a ‘relationship’._

_“That’s really sad.” she said after a bit._

_“Yeah, a little, but the old panda keeps reminding me that we’re supposed to be observers. After all, I didn’t choose to be an exorcist but I did choose to be a bookman. In the end I don’t regret my decision.”_

Tock was woken from her meditation by Lavi’s attempts to be sneaky.

          “What’re you doin’?” she asked.

          Lavi stopped in mid-step.

          “Uh…Allen fell asleep and I was…”

          “Goin’ to braid Kanda’s hair eh?” Tock said, she knew all of Lavi’s pranks.

          “Uh-oh you caught me.” Lavi said, guilty as charged.

          Tock smirked and dove into her rucksack, pulling out a camera.

          “You should have woken me earlier.” she winked.

          Tock had only managed to snap off a few pictures before her partner woke up and drew his sword. She and Lavi just managed to escape with all their limbs in place.

****

          “I can’t believe you were helping him…” Kanda grumbled as they stepped off the train and straight into a blizzard.

          “ _Someone_ had to take the pictures.” Tock giggled from inside his coat.

          “And would you get _out_ of there?!”

          “Hell no, if I get ice in me joints ya won’t hear the end of it! Now let’s vamoose before that sprog finds us.” Tock said.

          Kanda huffed and stormed past their Finder who was talking to Allen.

          “You’re going to search?” the parasite type asked.

          “Ah bollix.” Kanda’s coat cursed.

          “Of course we’re going to search.” Kanda growled. “We’re not going to waste time sitting around.”

          “But…” Allen replied.

          “Jus’ sit yer arse somewhere an’ wait inside where it’s warm.” Tock griped back, “Don’ want ye turnin’ into a popsicle!”

          “Hold on.” Allen protested.

          A few minutes later Kanda and a very grumpy Tock were being followed by not only Allen, but Lavi, Bookman and their Finder Michael.

          “If ye get us into any sorts o’ trouble I’m not bailin’ ye out!” Tock shouted.

          Unlike Kanda, who was usually reserved with his feelings, Tock wanted everyone within shouting distance to know just how pissed off she was.

          “We can handle ourselves you know, we are exorcists.” Allen said, knowing Tock meant him more than anyone else in their party.

          “We’ll see about that!” Tock spat.

          But the wind and snow was getting harder and pushing against them with a will.

          “This is going to be one of those stories where we all freeze and they don’t find our bodies until the spring!” Lavi cried.

          “Won’t find you an’ the kid ya mean.” Tock jeered.

          “Like these two.” Kanda replied.

          Tock turned to look and gasped, there were two people lying in the snow, a man and a girl. Tock forgot all about getting ice in her joints and hopped out into the snow, checking for a pulse on the man.

          “He’s alive! ‘Ow’s the girl?” She called to Lavi.

          “She’s alright.” Lavi answered.

          “My father…” the girl said.

          “We should get them to shelter.” said Allen.

          “We’ve been staying at an inn in town…” the girl added.

          “We’ll help you get there.” Allen offered.

          “Then Tock and I will keep moving. I’m sure they don’t need all five of us to rescue them from some snow.” Kanda said.

          Tock nodded and hopped back into his coat, leaving the rest of the party to their own devices. Or so she thought.

          “Wait up!” it was Michael.

          “What’re you doin’?” Tock huffed as he approached them.

          “We don-” Tock began but Kanda clamped a hand over her mouth.

          “It’s fine, I don’t really care at this point. Let’s just keep going.” he said.

          After a while Tock got restless and prompted for some conversation.

          “This place, I think I remember the report saying something about it being linked to some Norse thing?” she asked Michael.

          If Finders were of any use, it was for stories.

          “Yes,” Michael replied, having to raise his voice over the driving winds, “People have been pilgrimaging to this place lately in search of the leaf of revival. Mentions of the leaf have been found in many Norse myths, but the most well remembered is that of the hero Sigmund, who supposedly used the leaf to bring back his dead son.”

          “The son he killed accidentally.” Tock pointed out.

          Michael laughed.

          “True. You seem to know a lot about mythology.” he said.

          “Yah well, it comes in handy.” Tock snickered.

          Oh if only Michael knew just what had gone down on their last mission.  

          It soon became clear, however, that they were not going to reach their destination before the sun went down; and as much as Kanda wanted to continue, using Tock’s glowing eyes as a sort of torch, his metallic partner convinced him to huddle down with their Finder for the night. It was by pure luck that they found a shallow but dry cave dug into a small cliff face.

          Tock smiled as she looked over the sleeping form of her more-than-best-friend, so much for not being tired.

          Actually she had practically bullied him into lying down, something Michael had looked on with amusement.

          “I’ve seen you two around the Order, and I have heard about Master Kanda’s…temper. It’s surprising to see someone he listens to.”

          Tock chuckled.

          “Aye, that’s why we work so well together, we trust each other enough to listen to one another. Wasn’t always that way mind you, I should tell you about our first meeting…”

          _Kanda was walking back to his room, lost in thought when he thought he heard something. He looked up just in time to nearly by knocked over by some sort of metal feline, larger than any house cat, being ridden by a girl._

_“Watch where you’re going!” he snarled._

_“Ara be whist ye caffler.” The girl replied, making the cat turn around so that she could face him._

_She had wavy roan hair and green eyes that were currently locked with Kanda’s own._

_“…What?” he asked, wondering if the girl perhaps didn’t speak any English._

_“Ye heard me ye eejit. I told ya to mind yerself and then ye go gettin’ all bent out of shape about it.”_

_Kanda snorted, he knew an insult when he heard one, even if he didn’t quite understand just what about him she was insulting._

_“I’d stay and claim* ye but I’m hungry. Watch yerself next time yer wanderin’ about.” She smirked, giving him a wink before dashing off, the cat’s metal paws clanking down the hallway._

_Kanda was left to ponder just what she meant by ‘claim’._

****

          It was still too early in the morning for light when Tock felt Kanda shaking her out of meditation.

          “Come on, the snow’s stopped and we can’t waist anymore time.” the swordsman said, letting her climb up his arm and onto his shoulder.

          “Everything’s changed.” Michael remarked as they started off. “The snow’s covered up the landscape.”

          “He’s right Kanda, how do ya know we ain’t getting’ turned around?” Tock added.

          “Because.” he huffed.

          It wasn’t but a few moments later when they heard the sounds of battle.

          “I knew we were turned around!” Tock yelped, hopping off Kanda’s shoulder and transforming, “tha’ must be Allen and Lavi!”

          “How annoying, looks like we’re on a rescue mission.” Kanda griped as he swung himself onto her back.

          Without even waiting for Michael they took off, Tock flapping her wings as fast as possible. A moment later, they approached the battlefield. Just as Tock had predicted, Allen and Lavi were caught in an Akuma attack that was going downhill fast.

          “INCOMING!” Tock shouted as Kanda leapt off her back, letting illusions fly at one of the Akuma.

          Tock folded her wings and went into a dive after him, strafing the Akuma with fire.

          “RETREAT!” the Akuma screeched, running into the forest.

          “Alright!” Lavi cried happily.

          “Oi, Allen’s in bad shape!” Tock called.

          Half-frozen, Allen was just barely hanging on to consciousness.

          “Oh man, we need to get him inside.” Lavi said, picking up the smaller exorcist.

          “Fine,” Tock grumbled, “but if me joints rust ye won’t hear the end of it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Transcripting this wasn't as hard as I thought. I use to transcribe radio plays in my earliest fan-fiction days. 
> 
> I like how I'm developing Tock's character, she's not a complete polar opposite of Kanda, but she's not the same person either. 
> 
> The cat is another of Eva's golems, the dragon her soul now inhabits, it was a weapon and mode of transport activated by her innocence which is a gear jammed into a slot on the golem. I should draw her and the rest of her mechanical companions.


	13. Chapter 12: The Leaf of Revival Act 2

**Chapter 12**

The Leaf of Revival Act 2

          The wind was blowing towards the direction of the town so, with only a little difficulty, Tock was able to soar along the current with their little group on her back. However, about halfway through their trip back to civilization, Allen woke up.

          “Ah!” he startled, slipping off of Tock’s smooth brass plating.

          He would’ve fallen to his death if it hadn’t been for her reflexes, honed from three years of carrying Kanda, unconscious or not. Allen quickly found himself staring into Tock’s upside-down visage as she held him by the leg.

          “Stay easy boyo. I don’ want ya dead jus’ yet.” she grinned.

          She brought him back up to where he could get a grip on her spikes.

          “Idiot.” Kanda mumbled, only to be tapped on the head by Tock’s long tail. Scowling, he shot his partner a look which she returned in the fashion of a toothy grin.

          At last Tock coasted into the town, scaring a few straggling villagers in the process. Once everyone was off, she shrank back to normal size and dove into Kanda’s coat.

          “Watch it!” he growled, “you’re tracking snow everywhere!”

          “Just get me inside before it freezes over.” Tock grumped.

          As it turned out, Allen had come down with a bit of a fever, something Kanda and Tock took to grumbling about.

          “Such a pain,” the swordsman said, “You couldn’t even take care of one Akuma and let it escape.”

          “An’ ‘e wonders why I didn’t want him on the mission.” Tock muttered from her place by the fire, letting the ice in her joints melt onto the floor.

          “Yeah you don’t show any mercy Yuu, to Akuma or your teammates.”

          Kanda huffed at the use of his first name and Tock snickered.

          “Where is Michael, the finder?” Allen asked.

          “Couldn’t be bothered to wait for him; seein’ as you were getting’ yer arse beat n’ all.” Tock replied.

          “He’s not our responsibility; Finders have to be able to take care of themselves.” Kanda reiterated.

          Allen looked like he was about to say something when the door to the cabin opened and in stepped a very cold, but very alive Michael.

          “Michael! Speak of the devil we were just talking about you.” Lavi said.

          “Yeah I saw the light through the window.” Michael said, he didn’t seem bothered by being left in the dust.

          “Sorry about that back there,” Tock said, “Duty calls you know? Blame it on me innocence, drawin’ me towards them Akuma. I was powerless to stop it!”

          “Did you see any Akuma around the cabin?” Kanda asked gruffly.

          “Uh, no I didn’t.” Michael said.

          Kanda looked at Tock, who nodded and shook the rest of the melted snow out of her joints.

          “So they went ahead.” Kanda said as she hopped up on his shoulders.

          “We’re going out. We need to find the innocence before they do.”

          “Alright,” Lavi said, “I’ll come back you up.”

          “Ye plannin’ on gettin’ lost again? Or maimed or injured?” Tock quipped.

          “Watch it exorcist.” The old man said.

          “Don’t worry Father I’ll be right beside you!” his daughter pledged.

          “Do you even care about your daughter’s safety?” Kanda said.

          Before something bloody could go down Allen said:

          “None of us should go our now, it’s too dark.”

          “Then maybe you should stay here!” Lavi said, ruffling the new kid’s hair, “just kick back and take it easy!”

          “…Okay…” Allen said.

          “In that case I’ll stand by here too, in case I’m needed.” Michael said.

          Tock and Kanda looked at eachother.

          “Could be worse.” she said with a shrug.

          The old man sat down with a grunt, apparently he was staying too.

***

          “It’s like we’re going on a field trip huh?” Lavi shouted over the driving blizzard.

          “Don’ be stupid!” Tock shouted back.

          “Both of you be quiet.” Kanda growled.

          “You need to lighten up Yuu.” Lavi smirked.

          At last they came upon a small tunnel leading into a cliff-face.

          “Is this it?” Kanda asked.

          “Looks like it!” Lavi replied. “Let’s go in!”

          As if it were a sentient being the wind picked up harshly, nearly knocking them flat.

          “An’ ‘ow do you propose we do that?!” Tock yelped.

          “Well,” Lavi said, drawing his hammer, “let’s look for a break in the weather.”

          Instantly the seals appeared everything started glowing.

          “Spinning disk, of heaven and earth!” Lavi called.

          A column of light shot up into the sky, clearing the clouds and stopping the wind.

          “Brilliant!” Tock shouted, leaping into the air.

          “Let’s get inside while we still can.” Lavi suggested.

          They started down the icy tunnel, at the end of which they could see a faint glow.

          “That’s it!” Tock cried and they started rushing towards it.

          As crazy as it may seem, there was a tree growing inside a large cave, its leaves green and shining luminously. Kanda approached it an lay his hand on the smooth bark.

          The tree took that moment to attack, sending a blast of wind that knocked both he and Tock back.

          “Ow…” Tock groaned as she slid out of Kanda’s coat.

          “You okay?” Lavi asked, helping the swordsman up.

          “I found it!” a voice said.

          The three exorcists turned; it was the old man.

          “The leaf of revival, I found it, it really does exist!” he said and began running towards the tree, “I’ll be able to bring you back to us now Jacob! Oh my dear boy!”

          “Wait!” Tock called.

          Too late, the tree sent another blast and knocked the old man away. Undaunted, the man got up and rushed the tree again.

          “Stop!” Kanda said.

          “It’s dangerous!” Lavi warned.

          The tree knocked the old man farther this time, right into the wall of the cave, rending him senseless.

          Frustrated and cold, Kanda got up, unsheathed Mugen, and launched an attack that effectively cut the tree in two.

          “Remind me not to be on your bad side, ever.” Tock said as she stood next to him.

          Inside the tree they found the glowing ball of innocence.

          “We’ve got what we came here for, let’s go.” Kanda said.

          “Wait! Give that to me!” the old man had finally come around, “I need the leaf of revival to bring back my son!”

          “This is not the leaf of revival, it’s called innocence.” Kanda growled.

          “Give it to me!” the old man said, rushing him.

          “Oi!” Tock shouted, leaping up and biting the man on the arm, forcing him to back off.

          “Innocence does not have the power to give your son back his life. Accept it.” her partner said.

          It was then that Lavi approached the man.

          “I’m sorry but what he says it true.” he said, “Do you finally believe us? I don’t know how or why, but this innocence came to reside in this tree and made its leaves shine, causing many people to believe that this was the leaf of revival. That’s why they came here to pick its leaves. If that had continued to happen the tree would have eventually died. So the innocence caused massive snow storms, and hot winds to prevent people from coming near it. It was protecting itself but, I don’t think it meant to hurt anyone of us.”

          “Come on, let’s go.” Kanda said as Tock hopped back up on his shoulders.

          And so the three exorcists left.

          Back outside the weather had cleared up nicely.

          “Looks like the weather cleared up!” Lavi laughed.

          “It’s actually rather nice here. We could vacation here after I get me body back. What do ya say Kanda? Kanda?” Tock asked.

          Said exorcist had stiffened beneath her claws, he obviously sensed something.

          “Oh mind yerselves!” she called, leaping off Kanda’s shoulders and transforming.

          From out of the snow burst the three Akuma that had escaped yesterday.

          “Now hand that innocence over to us!” one of them said.

          “You better stand back.” Lavi warned the man.

          “There’s no escape this time, they can’t get the innocence.” Kanda said, “I’ll take the one on the left.”

          “I got the one in the middle!” Tock volunteered.

          “Whatever you say!” Lavi said, aiming for the one on the right.

          Tock leapt up in the air, deftly dodging snowballs, before going into a dive in an eruption of anti-Akuma fire. With her target quite nearly burnt to a crisp she turned her attention to the others. Kanda’s target was defeated, naturally. But Lavi’s target had avoided his attack and was doing something strange to her companions. She seemed to be…

          “Is she absorbing them?!” Tock asked.

          Indeed that was the case, the Akuma had morphed into a much larger monstrosity.

          “This ain’t good.” Tock remarked.

          “Now you’ll give the innocence to me!” the Akuma said, firing a volley of icicles.

          “No you don’t!” Tock shouted, diving in front of her companions and shielding them with her wings and giving them time to leap away.

          Lavi landed safely, but Kanda wasn’t so lucky. When Tock next looked for him, the old man was holding him back.

          “OI!” she shouted, steam hissing from nearly every joint.

          It was then that the Akuma let loose a blast of icy wind. Tock barely had time to react before ice formed all over her body, rendering her and her friends immobile. She looked around frantically, trying everything to free herself.

          Then, she saw a little ball of gold flying above them

          “We made it!” a familiar voice called.

          It was Allen.

          “Cripes I never thought I’d be happy to see you boyo!” Tock called gleefully.

          He activated his innocence and began firing at the Akuma but she knocked the bullets away.

          “Oi! A little help here!” Tock called.

          Allen saw them trapped and quickly fired upon the ice. As it melted away Tock shook her wings and grinned before leaping into action alongside Kanda. With Lavi freed as well, the four exorcists converged upon the Akuma. Even with her absorbed powers, their combined might was too much and she exploded in a ball of snow and wind, leaving a lovely little crater in the earth. As Tock stood admiring the hole in the ground, she heard footsteps approaching. It was the old man, again.

          “Please, I need to bring back my son.” he pleaded.

          “I don’t believe this.” Kanda grumbled.

          “I want it to be like before.” the man continued. “Just one more time.”

          “I’m sorry.” a new voice said, it was his daughter, “it’s all because I stopped you from going in to save him. I had no idea my actions would cause you to suffer this much father. And that’s why I can’t stop you from doing anything now. Even if it’s chasing after a leaf I know doesn’t exist.”

          Then Allen approached the man.

          “Don’t you think it’s time you started paying attention to your child that’s still alive?” he said. “You’re so intent on pursing your lost son that Elda’s being hurt and neglected. Do you realize that you’ve been treating her as if she’s the one who died even after all she’s done for you?”

          Tock watched as Elda approached her father.

          “Please, don’t worry about me, I understand how sad you are. Really, I’m fine and I love you father.”

          Tock climbed back up on Kanda’s shoulders and watched as the father and daughter embraced.

          “Aw, ain’t that sweet.” She said. “Come on then, let’s get out of here.”

          “We’ll take this innocence back to the order then.” Kanda informed the rest of their group.

          “You’re not going to stick around?” Lavi asked.

          “No I think I’ve had enough of this ‘field trip’.” he grumbled.

***

          Tock snuggled up next to Kanda on the train back home, holding the innocence in her claws.

          “Don’t play with that.” her partner grumbled, putting it back inside his coat.

          “Aw, such a spoil sport.” Tock laughed, worming her way onto his lap. “I wonder what powers this innocence has. Who its accommodator will be.”  she sighed whimsically. “You know, I told that finder about how we met.”

          “You what?!” Kanda exclaimed.

          Tock could only laugh as he shoved her off and glared out the window. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends this arc. The next one is one I also have to transcribe. But not all of the first half. About half of that is stuff that I can make up because of the different view point.


	14. Chapter 13: Why Tock now Officially Hates Italy

**Chapter 13**

Why Tock now Officially Hates Italy

          Tock sat perched on Kanda’s shoulder as they watched the bounty hunters storm into the ruined coliseum. She had been at her partner’s side for the past two days while he slept, recovering his strength after a three day clash with the mysterious, innocence bearing swordsman Vittorio.

          “You want I should go take care of the Akuma?” she asked him.

          “No, I think those idiot hunters need to be taught a lesson.” Kanda grumbled.

          Tock was about to say something along the lines of ‘not being able to learn a lesson if you’re dead’ she heard familiar shout.

          “Ah wick, don’ tell me Komui sent that little eejit to come an’ fetch us.” she growled.

          There was another shout and she felt Kanda tense.

          “Lenalee’s here too.” he said.

          “Okay now we have to move out.” Tock said.

          “No, it’s just a bunch of level ones, if the sprout can’t get them Lenalee can. Let’s just wait for Vittorio to show up.” Kanda assured her.

          Tock huffed, letting loose a cloud of steam, and sat back, waiting. She watched as a group of men pushed a Gatling Gun into the arena.

          “Ha, now that’s somethin’. A Gatling Gun. Oh this’ll be a riot.” she chuckled.

          Although it made quite the racket, the gun did nothing to damage the invading Akuma. When the smoke cleared Tock and Kanda saw that Vittorio had finally emerged from wherever he was hiding.

          “There ‘e is.” she said, hopping off of Kanda’s shoulders, “Go get ‘em. I’ll be watchin’ yer back.”

          Kanda strode out of the arcade and saw Allen was about to go after Vittorio.

          “No,” he said, “you’re not strong enough. This fighter is my prey.”

          “So don’ get in the way boyo!” Tock growled as she leered out from under an archway, fully transformed and ready to leap into action.

          She watched as her friend began what had become the daily ritual of fighting with the mysterious Vittorio. Lenalee’s cry of ‘Pedro!’ signaled that their finder had arrived but she couldn’t take her eyes off the two swordsmen, she trusted that Pedro would explain everything to the newcomers.

          “Why isn’t Kanda using his innocence?” Lenalee asked.

          “I believe that’s a matter of pride between two swordsmen.” Pedro replied.

          Tock snorted, “Go way outta that cheese fer brains!” she snapped, not once adverting her gaze from the battle, “Vittorio only activates his innocence when Kanda does. That’s why the caffler sprout is even more useless than normal!”

          Although she didn’t need to sleep, the past two nights of staying up with Kanda had worn her wires thin. She tensed and unfurled her wings as the two locked swords. Then, the lock broke and there was a spray of blood, Tock almost leapt down into the pit below when she saw that it was Kanda who had wounded Vittorio.

          “That’s the ticket!” she cheered.

          But her joy was cut short as Vittorio’s body flashed and his wounds vanished.

          “The innocence is healing him!” Lenalee gasped.

          In a split second Vittorio had recovered and countered with his own sword, spearing Kanda right through his gut. Tock screeched and dove into the pit, spitting fire and steam. But Vittorio caught her by the throat and threw her into a nearby wall.       

          “I don’t fight women!” he said.

          “I ain’t a woman I’m a dragon you wanker! Now git over here so I can give ya a prunin’ wit me teeth!” Tock roared, attempting to right herself.

          “Tock!” Lenalee called, jumping in after her and rushing to Kanda’s side.

          “Damn the rust I’ll tramp all through this puddle just to sink me claws n’ jaws into that feckin bastard! I’ll flay his skin from ‘is body! Ya hear me?! Go dtachta an diabhal tu![1]” Tock swore.

          “Tock…stop it…” Kanda groaned.

          Tock calmed almost immediately.

          “Oh thank the lord yer alive.” Tock said in a hushed tone.

          “You know I don’t die easily, giataku[2].”

          Tock nodded, smiling.

          “Ya, ma cree, that I do. But I still worry.”

          Allen had successfully distracted Vittorio from them, and Tock made a mental note to apologize for calling him useless.

          “Sprout’s holding up against Vittorio but the bastard’s a biggun. Anti-Akuma weapons can only take so much damage.” she observed.

          “Vittorio’s innocence is contained within his sword.” Pedro said.

          “How’d he get that sword in the first place? Isn’t there some way we can get it away from him?” Lenalee asked.

          “No,” Kanda gasped, “That won’t work…He’s been…enslaved by the innocence.”

          “Hush, don’t be talking right now. Cor yer bleedin’ like a stuck pig.” she muttered.

          “Pfft, thanks…for the…sentiment…” Kanda growled.

          Tock watched as Allen and Vittorio did some sort of perverse version of a cat and mouse chase.

          “He can’t…beat him…” Kanda said.

          Before Tock could even react he tried to stand up and collapsed, Tock stopped him from hitting the ground just in time.

          “Lie still ma cree, really this time.” she said so softly and tenderly Lenalee could hardly believe that just moments ago she had been a fire breathing monstrosity out for blood.

          Up above Allen was on his last legs. Seeing this, Lenalee leapt in to save him. Tock gathered Kanda up in her paws as she saw Lenalee get knocked away by a barrier of light Vittorio created from his sword. She took off with their finder just barely clinging to a spike on her back and landed between the two exorcists and the swordsman.

          “Climb on!” she shouted.

          Lenalee grabbed Allen’s hand and they scrambled onto her back. Tock took off with several flaps of her wings just as Vittorio took a swing, missing them entirely and burying his sword in the stone floor. As she circled to gain altitude she saw a young woman emerge from the arcade.

          “That’s Claudia!” Allen shouted.

          “We’ll come back for her when me boyfriend’s not bleedin’ out!” Tock hollered.

          The old woman they had been staying with was very flustered when Tock landed in her front yard with a bleeding Kanda and two scuffed up exorcists. She immediately set to fetching bandages and mixing up ointments as Lenalee helped Tock bandage the fallen samurai.

          “He’s feverish…” Lenalee said quietly, trying not to disturb Kanda as he rested.

          “Yah,” Tock whispered, as she entered the room with a bowl of water and a few cloths, “it’s a side effect of his healing factor.” She placed a wet cloth on his brow. “There we go, nice an’ easy.”

          Then there was a knock on the door. It was the old woman they were staying with and she had a bowl of some herbal salve.

          “I cannot promise this will cure him, but you may apply it to his wounds in any case.” she said.

          “Thank-you.” Pedro said, “And later, would you tell them the story?”

          “Yes of course.” the woman said.

          Tock took the paste from Pedro who began informing Lenalee about Allen’s condition before she followed him out for the old woman’s story. Tock carefully applied the paste to Kanda’s wounds with the back of her paw. Her cool metal flesh must have felt good on his overheated skin because he stirred.

          “Easy now.” Tock cautioned as the exorcist attempted to sit up, not an easy thing to do when one’s been sliced in the gut.

          Kanda surveyed his wounds before letting his head drop back on the pillow. Then, to Tock’s surprise, he smirked.

          “Greece.” he said.

          Tock smiled and nodded. “Greece.” she affirmed.

          Kanda soon fell asleep with Tock curled up next to him. A while later Lenalee came back in to see how they were doing.

          “So…” she said.

          “What?” Tock replied, not liking where this was going.

          “Back in the arena, when we were escaping, you called Kanda your boyfriend.”

          “I…I did not!” Tock protested.

          “Yes you did.” Lenalee replied.

          If Tock could blush, she would have been beet red by now.

          “Just…just don’t tell him I let that one slip okay? He’d cut me up or worse!” she pleaded.

          “But why do you guys keep this hidden? It’s not like the entire Order doesn’t already know.”

          “Eh it’s mostly him.” Tock said, gesturing at her partner, “I don’t think he wants to admit it until I’ve gotten me body back; even if it’s already painfully obvious to everyone we fancy each other.”

          Lenalee smiled, satisfied with their answer, and bid them good night.

The Next Morning….

          “Are you crazy? Your wounds haven’t even healed!” Allen protested.

          “They’re healed.” Kanda deadpanned, removing his bandages.

          “Look at that,” Allen marveled as Tock poked her snout at the last of the bruise marks, “They’re almost gone.”

          Kanda got off the bed and began to get dressed.

          “Oi! An’ where do you think yer goin’ mister?” Tock said, planting herself on top of his shirt.

          “I’m going to defeat Vittorio, collect the innocence and then we can be on our way. Now get off of my shirt.” Kanda snarled.

          “Absolutely not! Ye still ‘ave a bruise Kanda!” Tock said, poking him none too gently in the stomach; and not liking the way he winced as she did so.

          “How do you plan to defeat him anyhow?” Lenalee asked, “Every time you cut him with Mugen he regenerates.”

          “I’ll figure something out.” Kanda said as he attempted to wrestle his shirt away from Tock who had it clamped in her jaws.

          Then, Pedro ran in; the husky finder was slightly out of breath.

          “I have troubling news! Multiple Akuma were just spotted ambushing the ruins again! They’re fighting with Vittorio!”

          Tock gasped, letting go of the shirt and before she could react Kanda had it, his exorcist’s coat and Mugen on. He smirked at her. She stuck out her tongue. That’s when Lenalee took over.

          “Stop it Kanda you haven’t completely recovered!” she said. “Why don’t you rest for a day and then go back tomorrow!”

          “You know I can’t. You want them to steal the innocence while I’m here taking a nap?” Kanda growled.

          “Iffin it means you keepin’ yer guts in one place I’m fine wi’t that!” Tock called.

          “We can hold them back.” Allen said.

          “Oh that’s reassuring.” Kanda retorted.

          “’Ey now! The lad was pretty darn good in the field yesterday!” Tock defended.

          Kanda shot her a glare that suggested she had somehow betrayed him.

          “Just believe in us; Lenalee, myself, and Vittorio.” Allen said.

          Kanda just glared. “Vittorio?” he sneered.

          “He won’t make it easy for the Akuma. He can’t afford to.” Allen said, “That’s why the innocence will stay in his possession.”

          “Boyo’s got a point.” Tock said.

          “If enough Akuma overwhelm him Claudia will be in danger. Lenalee and I can be there in a matter of seconds to protect her. So please just stay here and rest, just try thinking of a way to collect the innocence inside Vittorio’s sword.”

          “Try thinking?!” Kanda said, rounding on the smaller exorcist, “are you giving me orders now?”

          Allen’s reaction was to activate his innocence and use it to push Kanda down onto the bed.

          “Oww…” Tock groaned as she extricated herself out from under Kanda, “What is this? Third time now?”

          “I hate your spikes…” Kanda muttered.

          “Sorry Kanda, but right now your brain is your best asset so just use that.” Allen said.

          And with that he and Lenalee turned to leave.

          “Get back here!” Kanda shouted.

          “Ah save yer breath.” Tock sighed.

          Kanda stared at the door for a few moments before resigning himself to the fact that they were not coming back. So he sat on the edge of the bed, and thought.

          _He and Eva were in middle-of-nowhere Prussia trying to track down a relic the Order thought contained innocence. They had stopped for lunch in a field of wild-flowers, on Eva’s insistence of course. And since no Akuma had been spotted anywhere near the vicinity of the town Eva insisted they take a break and just enjoy the sunshine. Kanda was sitting with his back against an old birch tree, watching Eva fiddle with a golem. He recognized that golem, it was the cat, she called it ‘Lashtail’, that had almost run him over on their first meeting. But it was so much smaller now._

_“That’s Lashtail right?” he asked._

_Eva looked up from the bolt she was tightening._

_“Ya.” she said._

_“I could’ve sworn he was bigger than that.” he replied._

_“’e is, when I activate him.” she indicated the necklace she wore tight around her neck, off the end of which dangled her innocence. “I slide this ‘ere innocence into a slot on his back and then he becomes an anti-Akuma weapon.”_

“It’s only when they’re touching.” Kanda said.

          “Eh?” Tock mumbled from where she had been dozing.

          But Kanda was already up and headed for the door.

          “Oi! Wait for me ya dope!” she cried, bounding after him.

In the Coliseum…

          Vittorio grabbed Allen by the hair and threw him to the ground. He raised his sword for a finishing blow when there was a loud whistling of air.

          “Incoming Spartacus!” Tock hollered as she swooped out of her free-fall.

          Kanda leapt off of her back, sword in hand, and rushed Vittorio with a battle cry.

          “This is what I mean when I say you’re too soft Beansprout!” he shouted as he swiped at Vittorio who jumped out of the way.

          “I welcome your challenge!” Vittorio said.

          Kanda rushed him again, but this time with a plan. Tock landed and picked Allen up but dropped him again in shock. Kanda had Vittorio’s sword buried in his shoulder.

          “Kanda!” she cried.

          But Kanda shot her a look that told her to stay put, he had a plan. Tock made a mental note to lay it into him once this was over.  

          Kanda smirked and, with a shout, sliced Vittorio’s sword arm clean off his body. Vittorio screamed and staggered back. Tock immediately leapt over Allen and to Kanda’s side.

          “Eyah! Do I pull it out or leave it in? Do I pull it out or leave it in?!” she bawled.

          “He refused to give up his sword…so I had to improvise.” Kanda said before collapsing.

          Tock let out a shriek that caused the entire complex to vibrate. Allen picked himself up and ran over. Before they could even touch the enormous sword, it, and the arm holding it, shattered into dust. Tock deactivated and held Kanda steady as he tried to sit up.

          “What were you thinking you eejit!” she snapped, frazzled to the core.

          “I’ll…be fine…” Kanda breathed, holding his shoulder.

          “All me hard work patchin’ you up yesterday, a waste!” Tock wailed.

          Allen took Tock’s overacting to mean that Kanda wasn’t in any serious danger aside from bloodloss.

          Vittorio, meanwhile, was dying. Without the innocence to keep him alive he was aging rapidly. Tock, Kanda and Allen could only look on as Claudia mourned the loss of her beloved swordsman.

          Kanda looked up at the sky, it had turned a beautiful blue and the sun had begun to shine.

          “It’s just like that day…” he mused, not caring if Allen overheard.

          “What day?” Tock asked.

          “In Prussia, when I asked you about Lashtail. I remembered that your golems only worked when you slid the innocence into them. Without the innocence, they were just toys. That’s what gave me the idea of how to get Vittorio’s sword away from him.”

          Tock snorted, “Aye, but did ye have to take one in the shoulder for it?”

          Kanda only chuckled.

          Three days later, Kanda had healed and he and Tock were off to Norway, and Claudia had packed up her things, leaving only a note saying she was going to live her own life.

  


* * *

[1] May the devil choke you.

[2] A combination of the Japanese ‘Gia’ meaning ‘Gear’ and ‘otaku’ meaning ‘Geek’; essentially it means ‘gear-head’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. May the Devil choke you.  
> 2.A combination of the Japanese ‘Gia’ meaning ‘Gear’ and ‘otaku’ meaning ‘Geek’; essentially it means ‘gear-head’.
> 
> Ah I love writing for these two. And don't you worry, you'll hear the story of the infamous Greece mission soon enough.


	15. Chapter 14: The Troll Princess Part 1

**Chapter 14**

The Troll Princess Part 1

Kanda leaned against the wall of the ferry he and Tock were taking to Oslo. Tock had been delighted to find that they were sharing the trip with a group of Irish musicians. It turns out she and her brother Daniel had been part of the musical entertainment at their local town’s pub before she had become an exorcist. He had played the fiddle and she had sung. Even though her voice had a distinctly metallic sound to it these days, it didn’t stop her from joining in.

“When I was a young un', I knew a lad from Ballybunion,” the guitarist began,

“He hadn't got a single penny to his name, you might say. He had a raggedy coat, an’ like two rubber boats. He kept his wellington boots on from December until May.”

          Then Tock enthusiastically joined in.

“It was Kevin Kelly, with his chopped off willies. In the middle of the summer time he was looking fine! His pants had holes in de knees but he was proud as you please. With his ol' wellies he keep strolling along!”

“As we got older an’ slyer and bolder, an’ the girls we had our eyes on they got older as well. With paint on their faces.”

“Paint on their faces!” Tock and the rest of the band echoed,

“And curves in nice places.”

“Curves in nice places!”

“We were dressed to impress them an’ we thought that we were swell! Well our duds were in fashion.”

“Duds were in fashion!” 

“To kindle their passion!”

“T’ Kindle their passion!”

“But there was Kevin on the dance floor looking anything but neat. He was tryin' to flirt.”

“Tryin’ ta flirt!”

“In his hand-me-down shirt.”

“In ‘is hand-me-down shirt!”

“With the same ol' wellies on his two big feet!”

          Then they all chimed in,

“It was Kevin Kelly, with his chopped off wellies! In the middle of the summer time he was looking fine! His pants had holes in de knees but he was proud as you please. With his ol' wellies he keep strolling along!

“Well we teased him and we mocked him, but sure that never shocked him, he painted on some laces and cut them down to look like shoes. He was poor but he had style, he made everybody smile”

          Then came the chorus again, and they were laughing as they sang,

“He wore his ol' wellies! He wore his ol' wellies! He wore his ol' wellies! Like he'd nothin' to lose!”

Chuckling, the guitarist continued, “The next time we found him, well the girls were all around him. He was busting the moves, he was happy as can be. One of the girls came near, and whispered in my ear... "Only boys who wear their wellies have a chance wit' me."

“It was Kevin Kelly, with his chopped off willies. In the middle of the summer time he was looking fine! His pants had holes in de knees but he was proud as you please. With his ol' wellies he keep strolling along!”

By the time they finished singing they were nearly on the floor with laughter, hardly able to get out another line. It was a good thing then that the ferry had landed. Tock wished the band luck and hopped up on Kanda’s shoulders. They intended to get a little bit outside of Oslo before Tock would transform and fly them to Nordfjordie where they were to rendezvous with their finder, a man called Lars.

“You seemed rather happy.” Kanda observed as they walked the city streets.

          “Oh yah, that reminded me of home it did. That song’s one of me favorites too. Lots of Irish songs’re like that ya know, findin’ happiness even if yer dirt poor.”

          When they were well outside of Oslo Tock transformed and Kanda settled into his usual spot at her shoulders before giving her the okay to take off. As they flew, Tock thought; she thought that if someone were to ask Kanda outright if he liked flying with her he’d deny it. He’d probably say that it just a faster form of travel than walking. And if the said person happened to note how he leaned whenever she banked to catch a particular draft of air he’d probably huff and say that he was just used to it. Then probably threaten to kill them if they didn’t back off.

          Tock couldn’t help but chuckle.

          “What?” Kanda said.

          “Nuthin’.” Tock smirked.

          They landed in town just around twilight where Lars and the Mayor, a man called Andor, met them.

          “Thank God you’ve come!” Andor said, grabbing Kanda’s hand and furiously shaking it.

          Tock stifled her giggles.  

          “Tell us what’s been going on here.” Kanda said.

          “A troll! A troll has been seen in the woods!” Andor told them, gesturing wildly towards the tree line.

          Kanda did not look amused.

          “I’m thinking it’s an Akuma, Master Kanda,” Lars suggested, “and that perhaps the innocence is somewhere nearby.”

          “Oh boy, another boogey hunt. This should be fun.” Tock said, her tail twitching in anticipation. “You want a rest or-?”

          “No, let’s get this done.” Kanda huffed and started towards the trees.

          “You stay here Lars, and radio us if you see anythin’ amiss.” Tock said before deactivating and bounding after Kanda.

          “You still mad about what happened in Kells?” she asked as clambered onto his shoulders.

          “Confused is more like it.” Kanda grumbled as he moved through the trees.

          Suddenly, there was a chorus of loud howls, like a pack of wolves. From the dense growth of pines came a group of creatures that looked like wolves with the heads of ravens. And they were huge.

          “What the hell is that?!” Kanda barked as he unsheathed Mugen.

          “Valravns!” Tock called as she leapt off his shoulders and transformed.

          “English _Fairbough_!” Kanda growled.

          Tock only smirked.

          “War Ravens, guardians of a nasty sort. It’s said you can befriend them if you give them your firstborn.”

          “We don’t have a firstborn!”

          “Yet.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, song, song, song, the song is Kelly's Wellies by Gaelic Storm and they are an awesome band you should look that shit up. 
> 
> I was originally going to make this one long chapter but this seemed like a good cliffhanger line.


	16. Chapter 15: The Troll Princess Part 2

**Chapter 15**

The Troll Princess Part 2

 

          Kanda and Tock stared down the snarling Valravns, tensed and ready for a good fight.

          “Alright Kanda! Let ‘em ‘ave the ol’ one-two!” Tock called, flapping her wings as she readied a blast of fire.

          Kanda raised Mugen and charged. But before either of them could land a hit, something burst from the forest and slashed through the Valravn Akuma, who shrieked before bursting into smoke.

          “What the.” Kanda coughed as the smoke began to clear.

          “Okay, now _that_ was unnatural.” Tock said.

          Kanda was going to say something about everything being unnatural but he didn’t feel like wasting the energy.

          “Whatever it was, it saved us the trouble.” he said.

          “Di’ya think we can follow it?” Tock asked.

          “On foot, you’d destroy any tracks in full form.”

          Tock nodded and shrank to her normal size, hopping up on Kanda’s shoulders. They walked a little ways in the direction the slash had come from and immediately spotted some broken branches and gouges in the trees.

          “Looks like a bear had a row here.” Tock said.

          “A bear with innocence? This is that deer mess all over again isn’t it?” Kanda grumbled.

          Tock just snickered and they continued to follow the trail of snapped twigs and general disturbance to the forest floor. Then, Tock saw something flit through the trees.

          “Oi, didjya see that?” she asked.

          “I did, could be an akuma.” Kanda replied.

          “Or whatever killed them; come on then.” Tock said, transforming.

          They followed in the direction of the figure they had seen and eventually came across the foot of a mountain. Carved into the foot of the mountain was a cave, and within that cave was the glow of firelight.

          “Come on.” Kanda said.

          They climbed over the craggy rocks and shale and up to the entrance of the cave, there they were confronted by a girl with a knife.

          “St-stay away! Get back!” she snapped, jabbing the knife at Kanda.

          Kanda grabbed her wrist and forced her to drop the knife.

          “We aren’t going to hurt you, calm down.” he huffed.

          The girl snatched her wrist back and stared at him and Tock defiantly.

          “It’s alright lass,” Tock comforted, “We’re the good guys, we’re exorcists.”

          “Then you’ll have come for me!” the girl cried, “I’m cursed!”

          “Cursed?” Tock said.

          “No you aren’t, you’d be marked like Beansprout.” Kanda replied.

          “No! I’m cursed! I’m a Huldra!” the girl shouted.

          “Huldra?” the two exorcists questioned.

          “I’m the child of a Troll! A changeling!” the girl tensed, “See for yourselves.” she said.

          And with that she turned her back to them, slipping off one of the sleeves of her tunic, revealing her back. Instead of normal skin she had what appeared to be a patch of gnarled tree bark growing there.

          Tock and Kanda turned to each other.

          “Do you think she’s…” Tock whispered.

          “She might be…” Kanda replied.

          “Lass!” Tock called, “You’re not cursed! We aren’t going to harm you. Why don’t you sit with us for a spell and we can talk, is that alright?”

          The girl thought on this for a moment, before nodding. Soon they were all settled around the campfire.

          “My name is Rebekka. I’ve lived here since I was 8. I was born like this, and my Mother said I was special. But the townsfolk thought I was cursed. They blamed my mother for not placing iron upon me when I was a babe, and so the trolls had taken her child and left me there. A changeling. She tried to protect me from them, hiding me whenever the Mayor would come by, teaching me everything she could, including how to survive the forest. But eventually they found out. That’s when the hands came out.”

          “Hands?” Kanda queried.

          “They come out of my back when I’m scared, they protect me. It’s the only troll power I have, but I can’t use it on command. I’m not a very magical troll, and I suspect that’s why they left me there.”

          “Was it you who saved us from the Valravens?” Tock asked.

          “Yes. I save many people who get lost in the woods.”

          “Rebekka…” Tock said, “You’re not cursed, and you’re most certainly not a Huldra.”

          “You’re like us, you’re an Exorcist.” Kanda refuted.

          “I’ve heard of you, you hunt monsters. Monsters like trolls.” Rebekka said.

          “We don’t hunt trolls, trolls don’t exist!” Kanda growled before Tock clamped a paw over his mouth.

          “Let me handle this ma cree,” she said, “Rebekka you’re not a troll. You’re a human, like us. But you are a special human, you have innocence inside of you.”

          “Innocence?” Rebekka inquired.

          “God’s Innocence.” Kanda answered, pushing Tock off of him, “It looks like a glowing cube of light with silver gears. Tock has hers in her heart, under her breastplate. I have mine in my sword, Mugen.” he indicated the sword that sat in his lap.”

          “But you’re special among we exorcists,” Tock went on, “you are a Parasite Type, which is much better than it sounds I swear.” she added, seeing Rebekka’s face.

          “It means that you have the innocence inside of you, instead of inside an object. This means you will become a very powerful Exorcist, you will have a closer relationship with your innocence than we ever can. It is also why you look the way you do, Parasite Types have parts of their body that look different.”

          “We know this one kid, Allen Walker, his hand is red and gnarled looking, but it becomes silver and sharp as the tines of a fork when he uses it. Among other shapes I’ve seen it become.” Tock said, “It’s where the ‘hands’ come from. Your innocence protects you from the dangers of the forest.”

          Rebekka looked over her shoulder, at her back.

          “So…you’re saying I’m a…a hero? Like Beowulf? Or Sigmund? Like from the old times?” she asked.

          “Yes, in a sense.” Kanda replied, “As soon as possible we’d like to put you on a train to the Black Order, where you’ll be trained to use your power to help us defeat Akuma, the real monsters.”

          Suddenly, there was the loud crash of branches breaking and leaves scuffing. All three sprang up; Kanda’s hand half drawing Mugen, and Tock had her wings slightly unfurled. Rebekka tensed, ready if her innocence activated. But to everyone’s surprise, it was the Mayor.

          “Hullo there!” he called.

          Kanda and Tock eyed him warily, while Rebekka moved to hide behind Tock, clearly frightened of the man that had banished her to life in the forest.

          “Oh ho!” the Mayor cried, “I see you’ve found the troll! Are you going to dispatch her?” he cocked his head to the side, waiting eagerly for their answer.

          “No…” Tock replied incredulously, “She’s one of us, an exorcist. We’ll be taking her away from here.”

          “Oh wonderful news!” the Mayor crowed, “Then why don’t you stay the night at my manor? It would be much better than out here in the woods!”

          Kanda, hand still on his sword, stepped forward. “And just how _did_ you get here anyway?” he asked.

          The Mayor fidgeted. “Why, I followed your trail! Come now, I know a shortcut back to the village!”

          Tock stepped up beside her partner. “Enough games! We know what’s up! Now show yourself!” she challenged.

          The mayor frowned, then sneered. “Fine then, exorcists.”

          He held his arms out and from the woods burst several valravns.

          “I count eight.” Kanda said, readying Mugen.

          “Aye, this will be quite the workout for us.” Tock replied.

          “I’m going to help too!” Rebekka said, coming to stand next to them.

          “No,” Kanda snapped, “You’re not trained, you could die.”

          But the Mayor wasn’t about to let them finish that conversation. With a sweep of his arm the valravns rushed them, cawing their bloodlust. Tock was ready for them, strafing with a blast of anti-akuma fire. One of the valravns managed to survive the flames and, still alight, leapt at Kanda who countered with his sword, slicing it down the middle, black blood spraying everywhere.

          His minions dead, the Mayor himself now rushed them. Tock tried to head-butt him but he leapt over her, several feet into the air. In the middle of his jump he transformed into a night-black horse with glowing green eyes.

          “He’s a Backahast!” Tock shouted, leaping backwards and out of the way of the four pairs of hooves that came crashing down after her.

          “That’s right!” the horse screamed with a mouth far wider than ordinary, “And now you’ll all be flies caught in my web!”

          The horse swung its mane and tail and black sludge flew at them. Tock was hit first, and felt the stuff gumming up her joints and gears, rooting her in place.

          “Kanda!” she shouted.

          But Kanda’s sword had been hit as well, and the tendrils of slime had stuck to the ground, holding it fast. He was weaponless now.

          “And last but not least, the little troll girl!” the horse cackled.

          He swung his mane again but this time Rebekka’s innocence activated, the claws coming out of her back to shield her. The goo held fast to them, and Tock realized the girl now had the upper hand.

          “’Bekka! Swing those claws! It’s you who’s got him now!”

          It took a second but Rebekka understood what the elder exorcist was saying. She concentrated and forced the claws to move. And they did, they reeled back in one sweeping motion and dragged the horse off his feet and onto his side. Then she whipped them back, sending him flying into the air to come crashing down. Again and again she did this until the horse gasped, then exploded. The goo covering them disintegrated and Tock and Kanda were able to rush over to her.

          “That was brilliant!” Tock cried happily.

          “Was…was he an Akuma? This whole time?” Rebekka asked.

          “There’s no way of knowing for how long. But the point is he’s dead now. You can return to your village for the night.”

          “My Mother!” Rebekka gasped, elated.

          Before they could stop her she was running off into the woods, in the direction of the town.

          “She’ll make a good exorcist.” Kanda said, inspecting Mugen to make sure all of the goo was gone.

          “What’s this now? You, giving praise to someone?” Tock feigned shock.

          Kanda snorted, sheathing his sword and climbing on her back to go after the girl.

          By morning light Rebekka had said goodbye to her Mother and was on a train bound for the order. Tock and Kanda, on the other hand, had received new orders from Lars to head to a small Germanic town where they were to meet up with another exorcist, one who had trained under the same General as Kanda: General Tiedoll.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. What is this right? Clockwork Exorcist stuff after over a year in hibernation? 
> 
> Well, that's writer's block. Like shit hit the fan over a year ago and I hadn't been able to write anything now. Since this was an original mission arc it got slammed like that goo horse. 
> 
> The goo horse. The Backahast. I actually combined some Scandinavian and Celtic folklore for this one. In one Celtic water horse legend the animal is made of really sticky mud that entraps you. Backahast are usually white but slinging white goo around would just look wrong.


	17. Chapter 16: Old Friends in Even Older Places

Chapter 16  
Old Friends in Even Older Places

“I hate it ‘ere.” Tock griped.  
She was in her deactivated form, slumped limply over Kanda’s shoulders as he sat against the wall of a building in her least favorite country on Earth: Italy.  
A ‘Hmpf’ was all the response she got from her partner.  
Just then, Kanda’s golem lit up and harsh static filled the air.  
“Krssh-Hey I-krsshtz.”  
“Oi! Speak up!” Tock barked.  
“The sound quality sucks here, Deesha, we can barely hear you.” Kanda growled.  
“Ah-krssh-hell, I think this thing’s breaking down-krssh-Tock! Girly if you can hear me maybe you’ll give it a tune-up?”  
“Quit callin’ me girly and I’ll think about it!” Tock called back.  
She liked Deesha the best out of the two of Kanda’s former teammates she had met. Having been trained under an ordinary exorcist before making her way to HQ, Tock had no General of her own to hunt for so she had naturally followed her companion on his trek to find his, as unwilling and disinterested as he may have been about it.  
“Where are you right now?” Kanda asked.  
“Kzzt-About three kilometers east of that weird looking tower.”  
“I’m about five kilometers west of it.” another, deeper, voice answered.  
That was Marie. It wasn’t that Tock didn’t like him; she was merely intimidated by the large man with the girl’s name. Not that she had ever said that to his face.  
“We’re to the South.” Kanda added with a grumble.  
“Krsszt-Looks like it’s going to be a long night.” Deesha sighed.  
“Let’s regroup if we’re within a ten kilometer radius, we should be able to use our golems to find each other’s locations.” Marie said.  
“Zzzzt-Then, Kanda, Tock and I will meet up where you are Marie.”  
“When?” Marie asked.  
Tock looked up, unsurprised at the level two akuma, flanked by several level ones, loomed closer. She wordlessly hopped down from Kanda’s shoulders and transformed, ready to fight.  
“At first light, boyos!” she shouted, unfurling her wings.  
Kanda drew Mugen and fired off his level one attack, shredding a level one that didn’t know enough to fear the presence of the duo. Tock took a running leap onto the level two, too eager for a scrap to be afraid of the thing and besides, they’d seen plenty worse by now. She latched onto its head with her teeth, distracting it while she got a good grip with her claws before rearing her head back up.  
“All Consuming Holy Fire!” she shouted gleefully before unleashing a torrent of anti-akuma fire.  
As the creature smoldered she did a backflip off of it, landing more gracefully than a creature of her size should have as it exploded.  
“What was that about?” Kanda asked incredulously.  
“What? You shout things all the time when you attack! It’s not fair that I don’t get to name my special move.”  
Kanda just huffed and the two prepared themselves for the second wave. They were in the middle of tearing apart another level two when Deesha’s golem lit up.  
“Krrssshhhh¬-Killing…krssszzzzt-is so much fun.”  
“Tha’ wasn’t Deesha!” Tock said, fear in her eyes.  
Kanda swung himself onto Tock’s back and she took off, ramming through a level one as she went.  
The sky was full of monsters, and every other minute she would have to swing around and strafe the air with fire. By the time they got to Deesha’s location, the sun was just peeking over the horizon. Marie was there, inspecting Deesha’s lone golem. Tock could see the problem with it now, something had given it a good knock to the eye and it was sparking slightly. She turned to say something to Kanda but noticed a hardened look on his face as he stared up.  
As the morning fog dissipated, she saw it: Deesha, crucified upside-down on a lamppost.  
“Oh lord.” she said; unable to hide the waver in her voice even if she could no longer cry real tears.  
Later that day, in a sleeper car on a train headed to a town a few hours North of the pervious town, now a ruined battleground, Tock was curled on Kanda’s chest. Marie had gone off somewhere so they had a moment alone at last. Tock buried her metal head against Kanda’s neck.  
“Oh Kanda…” she said.  
It was painful for her, she went through all the motions of crying even though she couldn’t and that made it harder for her to mourn. She had seen death before, they all had, but this was…unnatural. This was murder. This was a sign of something evil and intelligent, something more than akuma.  
“Curse this metal body!” she snapped, “Curse this and curse the Earl!”  
“Stop it, you’re going to wake someone.” Kanda replied even as he placed a hand on her back.  
They stayed like that for a while, Tock listening to the thrum of his heartbeat, the heat of his OM, trying to calm herself.  
“Kanda.”  
“What?”  
“I want you to promise…to promise me that you’ll be more careful.”  
“What are you-”  
“Just listen would you? You’re healing slower! Whatever power you have is fading and I can’t have you taking any more risks like you do! It’s going to give out one of these days and if you can’t learn to fight defensively then I just…” she looked down at him with a frown, “Kanda promise me you won’t die.”  
“I can’t promise that Tock, we both know that.”  
“Then just say you will!”  
“You want me to lie to you?”  
“Yes! So that, just for a moment, I can believe you’ll be okay.”  
“…I promise.” Kanda said after a while.  
Tock placed a kiss on his forehead and snuggled down onto his chest. She savored these moments, when no one was looking and they could truly be themselves. Although not as outwardly affectionate, Tock knew that Kanda felt the same. He would let her lie there for the moment, but as soon as Marie came back he’d shove her off and act annoyed; then they’d begin their usual banter and Tock would crawl off to sleep somewhere else, only to crawl back into her beloved’s bed when nobody was looking.  
\---  
Tock wasn’t quite sure how to approach a General. She’d never met one, her Master had been an ordinary exorcist who had his innocence equipped in a bow. Although he had meant to take her straight to the Black Order, they had spent the better part of two years roaming Europe and the English Isles, fighting akuma at the behest of the Order.  
So when Tock, in full activated form and polished to the tips of her claws approached General Tiedoll, she was quite surprised to find a small man with frizzy hair, glasses, and a sketchpad of all things. She could also feel Kanda get progressively more annoyed as the trio crested the hill the General was perched on.  
The General turned around, a smile on his face.  
“Long time no see!” he said warmly. “And whose this new face!”  
“I’m Eva Fairbough, sir!” Tock said, clicking her paws together, “But everyone calls me Tock!”  
“Ah yes, I do believe I heard something about a golem exorcist traveling with my old student!”  
Tock instantly liked Tiedoll, he reminded her a lot of her father, what small memories she had of him.  
In what seemed like an instant, Marie had broken the news of Deesha’s death to the General and they had instantly returned to the ruined town so he could see the location for himself. She found it quite strange to be standing by while the General sobbed, she could see why Kanda was so unwilling to see him again, the man was just the type to get on his nerves. Tock was a bit more forgiving in that department.  
“I see..so Deesha is dead.” Tiedoll said admist his sobbing. “It…it’s so sad…that kid…always loved to play pranks on me, using the Charity Bell to crack my glasses…he was such a good kid too.”  
Tock fidgeted, a bittersweet memory of her meeting Deesha flitting through her head.  
“The body was shipped to Head Quarters yesterday.” Marie said.  
“The Charity Bell has been taken as well.” Kanda added.  
He wasn’t gruff for once, just detached. Tiedoll perked up suddenly.  
“If I recall correctly, Deesha’s hometown was Bodrum, right?”  
“Eh? Ah, yes.” Marie replied.  
Tiedoll snatched a piece of paper from his backpack and instantly began sketching in a flurry of motion.  
“General,” Kanda pressed, “the enemy is targeting you and the innocence you posess.”  
Tiedoll didn’t seem to hear him and continued, “This is just an illustration of the memories I saw so it’ll probably be a little different…” with a few last strokes he held up the paper.  
Tock was impressed, a near flawless charcoal landscape. It was quite beautiful, a seaside town somewhere warm judging by the juniper trees.  
“Deesha,” Tiedoll continued, “I’m sorry it’s just a drawing but I’m sending your hometown to you. May you rest in peace, somehow.”  
And with that he took out a match, struck it, and lit the drawing on fire. Tock looked on in amazement as the embers soared into the air.  
“I can’t return,” Tiedoll said grimly, “We’re in the middle of a war now. I will live up to my responsibilities as a General. Moreover, I need to find new exorcists.”  
Kanda huffed, gritting his teeth.  
“If God hasn’t abandoned us,” Tiedoll continued, “I am certain he will yet again send us new disciples.”  
Marie and Kanda bowed, Tock quickly followed suit.  
“We will accompany you, General Theodore Tiedoll.” they said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you I was banging out another chapter. I think I'm getting my groove back. So for this one, we're going to have the mission in that clockwork house first, then the solo mission with Tock and Kanda from the anime, then back to the gang for the big mission before Edo: The Puppetmaster of Prague!
> 
> I like to think that I conveyed Tock's sorrow at losing a friend so fast here.

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wasn't going to upload this here but in the interest of generating traffic here I am. It's doing fairly well on ff.net anyways. 
> 
> So here goes something.


End file.
